Is hydrogen the solution?

Any landlord that has grappled with improving their EPC rating will know that heating is a particular problem.

Currently heating homes accounts for 17% of emissions and as a result the Government has taken the step to phasing out gas boilers.

The problems

The main issue with the main alternatives are suitability and cost. Heat pumps are not a viable solution for all properties, while solar panels remain expensive. This is where Hydrogen boilers may prove to be the answer.

Hydrogen boilers are very similar to traditional gas boilers and can receive their supply using the existing gas network. The main benefits are that Hydrogen produces zero carbon emissions and, even better news, are likely to cost a similar amount to a traditional boiler.

Those difficult older properties

Hydrogen boilers are a potential solution to the challenge of heating older properties, where heat pumps may be less effective due to poor insulation. This would mean that a landlord could install one and immediately get the benefits.

The issues to consider

One problem with hydrogen boilers is that they are not without emissions as burning it produces other pollutants. The slightly bigger problem is that pure Hydrogen boilers only currently exist in prototype form! However, given the potential benefits it is likely they will start to appear on the market in the next 18 months.

For those of you that are keen to exploit this potential, some suppliers, like Worcester Bosch already have Hydrogen ready boilers available. These boilers run on natural gas, but have the capacity to switch over, either fully or partially when the supply is in place.