I am a heating technician working in your constituency. Many of my customers are on oil heating, a common fuel type in rural properties which are not connected to the gas grid.

I service hundreds of oil boilers and my focus is always the same: ensuring households have safe, efficient and affordable heating systems they can rely on.

In my job, I speak to many of your constituents. They often share with me how keen they are to reduce their carbon emissions and play their part in tackling climate change. However, when they have looked at installing a heat pump, they have found it is simply unaffordable, even with the government grants available.

Having worked in many rural properties, I know from my own experience that the buildings are typically older and poorly insulated compared to more urban areas. This means they often need significant upgrades, such as a new hot water tank and new radiators for a heat pump to work effectively. As well as being costly, it is very disruptive and I hear a lot of concern and frustration from households who want a more viable option.

As a technician registered with OFTEC, a government approved Competent Person Scheme, I’m aware they have switched around 150 properties across the UK from oil heating onto the renewable liquid fuel Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) as part of a demonstration project.

The fuel reduces emissions by 88% and requires only a small modification to the boiler. It’s quick, it’s low cost and it’s practical. The perfect alternative when a heat pump isn’t suitable.

I was pleased that in the Energy Bill last year, legislation was approved to allow for a renewable liquid heating fuel obligation which would kick start the introduction of this vital fuel. It was also positive to see support for this across all political parties in both houses of Parliament.

When the legislation was introduced, we were promised that a consultation on technical issues would be launched “within a couple of months” and certainly within 12 months.

This has not happened. I am therefore writing to you as my local MP to ask you to use your offices to press the Government to move quickly on this. I would be grateful if you could forward this on to the Energy Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh.

HVO is a proven and affordable solution and enables progress with decarbonisation to continue, whilst upholding the promise made by the new Government not to force people to rip out their boilers. It also wouldn’t cost the government anything to deliver.

This solution has significant rural support and it is therefore surprising that we have not seen the consultation. We have waited long enough. We need to see the consultation.

I look forward to your response and thank you for your support on this matter.

Yours Sincerely,

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