Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to incentivise the use of (a) hydrated vegetable oil and (b) other biofuels in compatible boilers by (i) encouraging the availability of biofuels and (ii) (A) reducing and (B) removing taxes on biofuels; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on the (1) cost and (2) use of biofuels as a renewable alternative for heating buildings.

The Government expects most properties will ultimately switch to heat pumps as these are a proven technology and have been installed in high numbers in other countries.

However, the Government is committed to ensuring that there is the right solution for every household. We have therefore commissioned research to collect data on the costs of different approaches to decarbonising the most complex housing archetypes, including the use of renewable liquid fuels, and we expect to receive results from that research in 2025.

Before taking decisions on whether to support the use of fuels like hydrotreated vegetable oil, in heating, the Government would require stronger evidence on their affordability for consumers, and the availability of sustainable feedstocks.