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    A guide to the future of heating your home

    We Do Energy, Right for You and right for the future

    The future of heating your home – a guide for Flogas customers

    With stories on alternative heating options and boiler bans reaching the headlines, we understand that as a Flogas customer, you may be confused or even worried about the future of heating your home; but please be assured that we will continue doing energy right by you and be there to support you with the information you need to decide when or if you need to make the switch.

    We have also put together a comprehensive guide of everything you need to know about heating your home for today, tomorrow and what the future may bring.

    Download ‘The future of heating my home’

    Wanting to stay on LPG?

    It’s important to note that the UK government has delayed the ban on gas boilers until the mid-2030s. However, there is still a push to reduce the use of fossil fuels like oil and LPG in the future.

    At Flogas, we’re researching renewable gas options that will be affordable and produce less carbon, which you’ll be able to use with your current system. More information on these alternatives is included later in this guide.

    Since gases like LPG don’t have a national grid for storage and transport, supplying gas can be challenging, especially in winter when more people need it. To ensure our customers have a steady supply, Flogas has invested in storage and supply facilities in Avonmouth, and Teesside.

    Read more below about what we’ve done to secure the future of liquid gas.

    Considering a change of energy?

    If you’re wondering if the future of heating your home could be something other than liquid gas, we take an impartial look at some of these solutions below.

    It’s true that some of these options could be suited to your home, but our advice is to make sure you are fully aware of the options before making that choice.

    More about these options is below.

    Not sure which way to turn?

    Maybe you haven’t yet begun the journey of thinking how you’ll heat your home in the years ahead. On the other hand, maybe you’re unable to afford to make upgrades to your heating system, or you’re an ecoconscious individual aiming to contribute to a more sustainable future.

    Wherever you are on the road to reducing your carbon footprint, we hope this information and energy expertise can assist.

    No problem, we’re right here – so read on…

    The future of heating your home starts today

    Before you think too far into the future, let’s look as what you need to know about how you currently heat your home:

    How energy efficient is your home?

    Before we explore the options for your heating, let’s first discuss the most
    important part of heating your home, ensuring the home efficiently stores
    the heat you generate.

    Energy Efficiency

    What is the boiler ban?

    Current UK government guidance is that a ban on the installation of new oil and LPG boilers, and new coal heating, for off-gas-grid homes has been pushed back to 2035 to align with mains gas-grid properties.

    Understanding the boiler ban

    Your options for energy choices

    With so many options around, and with heating being one of your most significant parts of your monthly household expenses, choosing the right energy for your home is crucial. However, you need to make sure the time is right for you.

    So let’s look first at your energy source of today – LPG.

    What is LPG?

    As a Flogas customer, your home is likely to be off-grid and being fuelled by LPG* (Liquefied Petroleum Gas). LPG is a hydrocarbon gas that is a byproduct of crude oil refining and natural gas processing and is considered a fossil fuel. When oil and natural gas are processed, LPG is separated through a refining process, which involves compression and cooling to convert it into a liquid state. This is then delivered to you in bulk or cylinder form.

    LPG has the lowest carbon footprint of any other conventional fossil-fuel, with 20% less than oil and 30-40% less than coal based solid fuels1. Despite this, it’s clear that pressure is going to build for households to move away from traditional fossil-fuels. That’s why we have teams working hard to provide other renewable liquid gas options that will drop seamlessly into your existing LPG tank, installation and boilers with little or no modifications required.

    What is LPG?

    So, is LPG right for my home?

    Your home

    If you’re currently using LPG, then you’ll already be
    familiar with its benefits, such as instant heat and adaptability for uses such as cooking and heating.

    Ensuring your LPG boiler is maintained by a qualified heating engineer, with annual check-ups, will help to keep your LPG boiler working for as long as its natural life.

    Specification

    If your boiler is nearing the end of its life (gas boilers generally expect to last around 15 years), then discuss with a Gas Safe Registered boiler engineer on your best options.

    With renewable liquid gases on the way, there are more and more new boilers becoming available to ensure that your replacement will be ready for the future.

    Our advice

    With a fossil-fuel boiler ban expected around 2035,
    you do not need to feel pressured to do anything now.

    Ensure your boiler is working efficiently with regular checks and our team can help advise on what the future brings.

    So, is LPG right for the future of my home?

    Renewable liquid gas

    Our team of experts are hard at work looking into renewable liquid gas. Renewable liquid gas is an umbrella term for a number of different gases that our team is working on to be able to deliver to you, either as a blend with or total replacement for LPG.

    Renewable Di-methyl Ether (rDME)

    One of these liquid gases is renewable Di-methyl Ether (rDME), a colourless gas that can be handled as a liquid (just like LPG) which is made from sources like household and farmyard waste.

    We’re soon to start testing blends of rDME in existing domestic installations. 100% rDME can be used with limited modifications to equipment. rDME gives carbon reductions of up to 85% 2, compared with diesel and heating oil, plus it burns cleanly – with zero soot, zero SOx (sulphur oxides) and reduced NOx (nitrogen oxides). Biopropane has a carbon output of around 40-50% less than current LPG3.

    Watch our short video on rDME below

    Biopropane

    Another renewable liquid gas is Biopropane, made from sources like vegetable oils, waste fats and used cooking oil and can be dropped into existing LPG installations with no changes to tanks or boilers.

    Watch our short video on biopropane below

    We’ve invested in the security of supply to Do Energy Right by You.

    Flogas’ Avonmouth storage facility

    Just outside Avonmouth in Bristol, this facility is the largest of its kind in the UK, with a capacity of over 34,000 tonnes. It provides security of supply for current and new Flogas customers, whilst expanding the capacity of the entire LPG industry in the UK. The storage terminal is future-ready too – designed to be compatible with renewable liquid gases rDME and biopropane.

    Teesside gas terminal

    Flogas have an agreement with the Teesside gas production terminal to take up to 120,000 tonnes of LPG that was previously being sent overseas. This is a huge boost to the esilience for LPG across our network.

    Watch our video

    What are the alternatives to LPG and renewable liquid gas for off-grid homes?

    Solar Panels

    A solar panel is a device that converts sunlight into electricity. It is made up of solar cells, which are made of semiconductor materials such as silicon.
    When sunlight hits a solar cell, it knocks electrons loose from their atoms. These electrons then flow through the cell, creating an electric current

    Are solar panels right for your home? Click below for more.

    More about Solar Panels

    Heat pumps

    They are a thermodynamic solution that take the warmth from the air or ground outside and compresses it and turns it into heat.

    To explain, it’s just like an air conditioner. It works in a similar way to a fridge, but in reverse.

    Are heat pumps right for your home? Click below for more.

    More about Heat pumps

    Heating oil

    Kerosene heating oil, or domestic heating oil, is a type of fuel oil that is used for heating homes and businesses. It is made from crude oil and has a lower viscosity than other types of fuel oil, such as diesel fuel. This makes it easier to pump and burn, which is why it is ideal for use in heating systems.

    Is heating oil right for your home? Click below for more.

    More about Heating oil

    Comparing the options for heating your home

    Our ‘Future of heating you home’ booklet has more information and a simple chart on the options and key things to think about.

    Read ‘The future of heating my home’

    Sources

    1 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/greenhouse-gas-reporting-conversion-factors-2023.
    2 https://www.liquidgasuk.org/about/rdme
    3 https://www.liquidgasuk.org/about/biolpg