Off-grid heating

Where the mains gas grid is too expensive to install many rural properties in Wales rely on independent fuel sources like oil, LPG, coal or electricity. Costs for these fuels are generally much higher than mains gas. This means that changing over to a new / more efficient heat source is often more financially favourable, however there are some restrictions.

Oil boilers

Oil boilers are similar to gas in terms of efficiency and if replacing then the only real lower carbon alternatives are:

• Heat pumps
• Biomass
• Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO)

Heat pumps

Find out more about heat pumps here.

Biomass boilers

Boilers can be a direct replacement for oil / LPG off-grid systems as they operate at similar temperatures. Of course with biomass you need to think about storage of the fuel and also how it gets from the store to the actual boiler. This could be done in a variety of ways depending on fuel type (pellets are most versatile but the most expensive) and the location of the boiler and store. There is too much to go into here so for more information on wood and other biomass forms of heating can also be found here: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/biomass/

Biomass boilers also are a fundable option for the UK Government Boiler Upgrade Scheme, see https://www.gov.uk/apply-boiler-upgrade-scheme

Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO)

HVO is a ‘bio-diesel’ and so a direct equivalent to kerosene (oil). This is derived from organic matter rather than fossil fuels and so automatically reduces your carbon footprint by around 90%. The best thing about the alternative is that it doesn’t require any changes to the infrastructure of the heating system. Most modern boilers are HVO compliant, but it is best to check with the manufacturer to ensure that your model of boiler doesn’t require any alterations.

HVO is more expensive than kerosene, and there are only a few suppliers, but it is worth checking, especially if you are in a local buying consortium as this would bring costs down.

Bio-Gas / Bio LPG

Biogas is a gas that is made from vegetable matter. It can be bought in a pure form and this can reduce your carbon footprint by around 90%, however many companies tend to offer it as a blend of conventional LPG and Bio-LPG / Gas.