Key insights
Annual residential energy demand (for heat and appliances) in 2050

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Consumer perception and engagement is vital to ensure low carbon heating will be installed in every home in the country to help achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
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Homes will benefit from a range of low carbon heating technology options. Our net zero scenarios show that heat pumps, district heating and hydrogen boilers are all needed. Their distribution throughout GB is driven by factors such as infrastructure (hydrogen or electricity) availability and consumer choice.
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Homeowners’ behaviour, like choosing to turn thermostats down, can lead to significant reductions in heat demand. For instance, 1°C (on average) decrease in Leading the Way compared to today’s levels can lead to up to a 13% reduction in heat demand.
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Government policy will be essential to encourage mass consumer uptake of energy efficiency measures. Our net zero scenarios show that insulation in lofts and walls will need to be retrofitted in homes in the 2020s continuing to the mid-2030s.
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The way homeowners use low carbon heating technologies will help us manage a future electricity system dominated by intermittent renewable supplies. For example, thermal storage devices can be installed in homes alongside heat pumps. They can release energy at peak times to reduce electricity demand from heating by up to 8% in System Transformation and 35% in Leading the Way.
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Home appliances such as washing machines, computers and TVs are highly efficient in all net zero scenarios, reducing demand (compared to today’s levels) by up to 39% by 2050 in Leading the Way.
Where we are now
Currently residential demand for energy in GB’s 28.5 million homes accounts for around 480 TWh, which was 35% of GB total demand in 2020. Its heavy reliance on natural gas meant residential emissions in 2020 were 71 MtCO2e; approximately 14% of the UK’s total emissions.