Wednesday 29 March 2023

‘UK’s reliance on gas is only set to grow’

The reliance on gas in the UK is set to grow, with more demand for domestic heating.

That’s according to a report by Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), revealing that domestic heating is the country’s second largest use of energy and the biggest contributor to gas consumption.

The report states that 85% of British homes are currently heated by gas, with the most optimistic scenario still seeing gas as the top energy source for domestic heating in 2032.

Heat pumps have been touted as the answer – but the report claims this is unlikely; revealing that 26 million heat pumps need to be installed by 2050 for net zero aims.

Oil and gas production meets more than three quarters of the UK’s energy needs currently – but is also a key contributor to the Scottish economy, specifically.

OEUK says that 9% of Scotland’s GDP comes from the oil and gas industry, providing £16 billion in gross value added in 2022.

It calls for a switch of focus in Scotland to more renewables – with Scotland having great conditions for wind and tidal energy.

David Whitehouse, OEUK Chief Executive, said: “Scotland will play a huge part in this, drawing on its various natural resources to provide power to millions of homes while building cleaner, low carbon technology. With the North Sea on our doorstep, we are calling on the UK government to work with the industry to ensure that we can continue to near-shore our energy production.”