Insulating Britain’s British homes would cost the government just over £1 billion a year in grants plus a similar amount in subsidized loans, while a 50% cut in stamp duty could encourage people to install low-carbon heat pumps when they move, according to sentences from and after. Ministers could also increase the take-up of electric vehicles and other green technologies through “salary sacrifice” schemes and reduce the number of car journeys through “nudges” such as personalized public transport plans that tell people about local public transport routes and cycling routes. However, while both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak are committed to the UK’s legally binding target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, both want to curb solar and onshore wind farms and support fracking and increasing fossil fuel production. While Sunak has promised government support for insulation, neither has produced a detailed plan for the issue or net zero in general. Alex Luke, author of the Onward report, said it was “natural” that candidates focused on immediate issues such as the cost of living crisis, but said the quest for net zero should be a “key priority” for the next prime minister. . “I’m glad to see both candidates committed to net zero, but we need to learn more from both about exactly how they’re going to do that,” he said. “It is clear that the upgrade [of homes, for energy efficiency] should be a huge part of achieving the net zero goal.” He pointed out that polls showed net zero was still one of the top issues for most Tory voters and one of the top four issues for the general public. The report Onward, Going Green, to be published on Monday, found that an insulation program for 15 million households offering a combination of government grants and subsidized loans at very low interest rates through the state-owned Infrastructure Bank would cost the Treasury about 31 billion pounds in total by 2050, plus £40bn in total by 2075 to subsidize low-interest loans. Homeowners would save around £20 a month on their bills after the cost of repaying the loans each month at current energy prices, and much more if prices jump as expected this autumn and next spring. Luke said a previous attempt to do this, the “green deal” scheme introduced under the coalition government but scrapped in 2015, failed because of “astronomical” market-based interest rates of more than 10%, which meant people they barely saw any overall economy at all. Onward also suggested that “nudges” could play a key role in changing consumer behavior, which will be needed to reach net zero. Luke said local authorities could offer personalized transport and commuting plans. He pointed to a trial in Ipswich, costing £27 per person, which provides personalized information on public transport, walking and cycling routes, which led to an 11% reduction in car journeys and a 14% increase in walking and cycling. Luke added: “None of these nudges are a panacea or an excuse not to seriously consider investing [in reaching net zero]. But it’s small-scale interventions that are low-cost, that have an impact and bring about change.” The government withdrew its incentives to buy electric cars earlier this year, resulting in an uncertain outlook for the sector. The uptake of cars had increased significantly, but they are likely to remain more expensive than fossil fuel cars for the next decade, according to Luke. A government spokesman said: “The UK is leading the world on climate change. We have cut emissions by 44% since 1990, while growing our economy – more than any other G7 country – and taking action to help people make greener choices. “We have committed over £6.6bn to decarbonising homes and buildings, which includes the £450m boiler upgrade program to increase the absorption of heat pumps. In addition, we have invested £2.5 billion to accelerate the deployment of zero-emission vehicles and charging infrastructure across the country.”
