Oil boilers are a great option for heating rural homes that lack a connection to the gas grid, because heating oil can be delivered in bulk and stored in an on-site storage tank, but are these boilers going to be phased out in the coming years?
In order to cut the country’s carbon emissions, installations of new oil boilers were originally set to be banned from 2026, nine years ahead of the planned date for gas boilers. This attracted considerable criticism, because alternative low-carbon heating systems are not suitable for many rural homes. Even when they are suitable, they may need costly upgrades to the heating system and insulation to be effective. Some also pointed out that oil boilers could also run on renewable liquid fuels in future made from vegetable waste or used cooking oil.
In September 2024, the UK Government put back its ban on oil boiler installations to 2035, in line with the end of gas boiler installations. This means that rural households no longer have to worry about expensive heating upgrades if their boiler needs replacing after 2026. In addition, this allows more time for low-carbon heating technologies to mature and become more affordable, and for renewable fuels like hydrotreated vegetable oil to become available.
While there is no longer a rush to install an oil boiler before 2026, replacing an old model with a modern condensing oil boiler can reduce how much heating oil you use. Xgas can provide an oil boiler installation in the Chester area and other rural locations. Get in touch with the team to find out more.
