Abstract Book of the 8th World Conference on Social Sciences
Year: 2025
[PDF]
Feeling The Heat: Understanding The Social Acceptance Of Residential-Sector Heating Decarbonisation Options In The UK
Valentine Seymour, Jones, Christopher, R.
ABSTRACT:
The reliance on natural gas for residential sector heating in the United Kingdom (UK) presently accounts for around a fifth of national greenhouse gas emissions. Phasing out this reliance is considered important as the UK’s ‘Net-Zero’ ambitions. Alternatives to a reliance on natural gas, include the use of hydrogen boilers and electrification using heat pump technologies. The acceptance of these technologies among members of public will play a significant role in which are backed, available, and used. The current study forms part of the GasNetNew project, an interdisciplinary research programme designed to help support residential decarbonisation in the UK. The project is developing chemically assisted and water-source heat exchangers to support residential heat pump technologies and comparing these with those readily available options (air and ground source heat pumps). 7 online focus groups were held with 74 members of public across 4 UK regions: Cornwall, Kent, Surrey, and Teesside. Questioning focused on the physical and social determinants of the acceptability of four types of heat pumps: air, ground, water and chemically assisted heat pumps. Focus group interviews were supported using bespoke ‘flash cards’ to convey core details about each of the options under consideration and to allow for easier comparison. Interviewees principally considered the relative strengths and drawbacks of the project’s two proposed versus ‘standard’ heat pump options. The relative acceptability of these options was seen as being tied to (a) the consistency of policy signals from government; (b) the affordability of the technology; and (c) the accessibility of information and incentivisation schemes. The concept of repurposing the gas pipeline network was considered to be a good idea in principle, although enthusiasm was caveated with reference to the practicalities of achieving this goal. The findings of this study can be used to help support evidence-led decision-making about the potential routes to sector decarbonisation and the role that innovative repurposing could play in making this transition more affordable and fairer.
Keywords: social acceptance; residential heating; decarbonisation; heat-pumps