Shocking number of households in Britain cannot afford heating this winter

In an ITV news item, more than two million households plan to not use their central heating this winter. Those who live alone are the most likely to avoid using the central heating but 5% of households with young children will not be turning on the heating. Is this a British issue or is it … Continue reading Shocking number of households in Britain cannot afford heating this winter →

Energy in Demand News, July 20-21, 2025

The New York Times this week reported on how cultural festivals in France are adapting to the summer heat. The theatre festival in Avignon has banned events from 2 pm to 5 pm. And in order to lower the carbon footprint, the Avignon festival will only accept foreign acts if they also have other engagements … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, July 20-21, 2025 →

The EU lacks a comprehensive strategy to address cooling

In an article on the Atlantic Council website, Andrei Covatariu argues that if Europe fails to prepare for extreme heat, it will find itself in crisis after crisis—burning more fuel, spending more money, and drifting further from its climate and energy goals. Europe has a heating strategy—now it needs one for cooling For decades, … Continue reading The EU lacks a comprehensive strategy to address cooling →

The share of renewables has been rising across Europe

Servet Yanatma writes on the Euronews website about the progress renewables is making in Europe but it is doubtful that several countries, particularly the largest economies, will meet the EU’s 2030 targets. Eight countries in Europe use renewables for more than half of their heating and cooling needs District heating networks help Nordic and … Continue reading The share of renewables has been rising across Europe →

Infrared fabric heat-emitting “wallpaper” avoids the disruption and expense of heat pumps

Hundreds of millions of buildings across the world need clean heating. But retrofitting them all for heat pump installation is going to be expensive, disruptive, and take a long time. In an article on the Conversation website, Michael Siebert at Nottingham Trent University describes a completely different approach, using new high-tech infrared fabrics that emit … Continue reading Infrared fabric heat-emitting “wallpaper” avoids the disruption and expense of heat pumps →

Blog by Stephen Davies: Should more UK property owners follow Norway in adopting heat pumps?

Low heat pump adoption in the UK compared to other European countries remains a pressing issue. However, there is a wealth of potential benefits if UK property owners were to emulate Norway's successful heat pump adoption strategy. This article discusses the advantages of following Norway's lead on the use of heat pumps. It reflects how … Continue reading Blog by Stephen Davies: Should more UK property owners follow Norway in adopting heat pumps? →

Recent modelling shows that domestic peak heat demand in UK is almost 50% lower than widely cited values

A recent article on the Cell Press website provides valuable insight into the impact of 100% electrification of domestic heat in the UK. Decarbonising heat in particular is often perceived as a daunting task since natural gas serves between 60 and 80% of the domestic heat sector in countries like the UK. While there has … Continue reading Recent modelling shows that domestic peak heat demand in UK is almost 50% lower than widely cited values →

Energy in Demand News, February 25, 2024

This weekend sees the first of three sessions of the European Citizens' Energy Efficiency Panel in Brussels with 150 European citizens discussing how energy may be used in the EU and how the energy system should change. Participants are focusing on different aspects of energy efficiency that consumers might encounter at home, in communities or … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, February 25, 2024 →

New development in Ottawa-Gatineau using industrial waste to keep their homes warm

Following the growing popularity of waste heating in Europe, more Canadian firms are trying to reuse energy. Emily Chung writes on the CBC News website about a new development in the Ottawa region. How industrial waste is keeping these Ottawa-area buildings warm Residents of a new development in Ottawa-Gatineau are using industrial waste to … Continue reading New development in Ottawa-Gatineau using industrial waste to keep their homes warm →

Heat pump sales falling in Europe, risking €7 billion in investments

Despite a strong start, sales of heat pumps have shrunk over the course of 2023, new data from the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) shows. After a good first quarter, second and third quarter sales of space and hot water heat pumps are down in Europe. In many countries, sales are also lower than in … Continue reading Heat pump sales falling in Europe, risking €7 billion in investments →