Sales of electric cars and heat pumps are climbing, yet the government’s climate advisers say adoption must accelerate and households must feel the benefit through lower energy bills. While progress has been made on expanding low-carbon power, the committee insists the next step is tackling the high cost of electricity.
The UK is legally bound to reach net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050 and has already cut domestic output by more than half since 1990, mostly by replacing coal with renewables. Transport and buildings now form the largest share of remaining emissions. Despite recent political squabbles over net zero, the advisers argue the target is achievable and could boost long-term growth. Evidence includes a near-doubling of electric vehicles in two years; almost one in five new cars sold this year is battery-powered, trimming road emissions even as traffic rises.
Experts predict new electric cars will match petrol prices within a few years, with many used models already on par and cheaper to run. Heat-pump sales jumped by over 50 per cent last year, helped by grants and lighter planning rules, but installations remain well below target. High electricity prices continue to undermine running-cost savings.
Wholesale gas costs have driven much of the recent price surge, yet bills are also inflated by legacy levies that support older renewable projects and efficiency schemes. Removing these charges from household tariffs could cut about £200 a year but would leave a £6 billion hole that might have to be filled through taxation. The energy department maintains that expanding clean generation is the surest long-term route to lower costs.
