Heat

Northern Ireland’s Energy Landscape

In Northern Ireland, many homes and businesses rely on heating options beyond natural gas and electricity – such as heating oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and coal. The Northern Ireland Executive’s Energy Strategy, ‘The Path to Net Zero Energy’, sets a clear direction to phase out fossil fuels and transition towards more sustainable, affordable, low and zero carbon heating alternatives.

Fossil Fuel Heating Used in Northern Ireland

Unlike many other parts of the UK a significant proportion of homes and businesses in Northern Ireland are not connected to the natural gas grid. As a result, many properties use alternative fossil fuels for space and water heating. These include:

• Heating Oil - The most common fuel in Northern Ireland used by over two thirds of households, particularly in rural areas. Typically stored in tanks and used with liquid fuel fired boilers.
• Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) - Used in areas without mains gas including for heating, cooking and hot water in some domestic and commercial buildings. Typically stored in tanks and used with gas fired boilers.
• Coal - Still used in a number of homes either as a primary heating fuel or in open fires and stoves for secondary heating, especially to boost heating during colder weather.

Why We’re Moving Away from Fossil Fuels

Reducing reliance on fossil fuels is essential to achieving Northern Ireland’s target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Traditional heating fuels such as oil, coal and gas (whether mains gas or LPG) are among the highest sources of carbon emissions in the energy system. They also expose consumers to volatile global energy prices. As we move towards our vision of net zero carbon and affordable energy our reliance on more polluting imported fossil fuels such as oil, coal and solid fuels will decrease. Transitioning to low carbon heating will:

• Cut greenhouse gas emissions
• Improve energy security
• Support cleaner air and public health
• Reduce long term energy costs and provide greater price stability for consumers

Cleaner (Renewable) Low Carbon Heating Options

There are a range of alternatives that can replace fossil fuels, suited to different building types and user needs. Some of the options that are currently available include:

• Heat Pumps - Air source and ground source heat pumps use electricity and are highly energy-efficient and can significantly reduce carbon emissions. They extract heat from the ambient air, ground, or water, and then use it for heating and hot water.
• Electric Heating - This includes direct electric heaters and storage heaters and are used more widely in social housing and apartments.
• Biomass Heating - Uses renewable organic materials such as wood pellets or chips. Can be suitable for larger homes or public buildings. When sourced sustainably, biomass is considered carbon-neutral since the carbon dioxide released during combustion is offset by the carbon absorbed during the growth of new biomass.
• Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) - A renewable liquid fuel that can be used in modified home heating oil boilers with minimal disruption. HVO liquid fuels is derived from renewable organic sources such as plant materials, agricultural residues, and waste.
• BioLPG - A renewable version of LPG that is compatible with existing LPG heating systems.

Each option varies in terms of cost suitability and availability. We are working to ensure that clean heating choices are practical and accessible for all parts of Northern Ireland.

Policy Development and Consultations

The department's approach is being shaped by research, public consultation and engagement across government and with households, industry, energy experts and consumer advocate bodies. Current policy areas being developed include:

• A recent public consultation on support for low carbon heat which sought views on how government could help households and businesses transition from fossil fuel heating to cleaner alternatives. You can view the consultation at Support for low carbon heat in the residential sector. The department is currently reviewing responses and will publish a formal response statement later this year.
• A recent public call for evidence on biofuels (HVO and bioLPG) and assessing their role in decarbonising heating. You can view the consultation at Using Biofuels to Transition Away from Fossil Fuels for Heating. The department is currently reviewing responses and will publish a formal response statement later this year.
• Working across government departments to support clean air policy, energy efficiency and building regulations and planning goals.

The department is also closely monitoring developments in the wider UK and Irish jurisdictions, including evolving support schemes, regulatory changes and market readiness for low and zero carbon technologies. This helps ensure that Northern Ireland’s policy approach remains coherent, evidence based and responsive to change.

Heat Networks

Heat networks distribute heat from a central source to multiple end users through a network of insulated pipes. These systems can take two main forms:

• Communal Heating - where a single heat source serves multiple dwellings within the same building such as an apartment block; and
• District Heating - which supplies heat across a wider area to multiple buildings or sites including homes businesses and public buildings such as hospitals schools and leisure centres.

Heat can be produced using a range of sources such as biomass, geothermal energy, waste heat from industrial or commercial processes or large scale heat pumps.

Heat networks are particularly effective in areas with high heat demand density, such as towns, city centres or new developments. They offer long term decarbonisation potential by enabling the integration of low and zero carbon heat at scale.

More information on the development of heat networks in Northern Ireland is available on the Department’s Heat Networks pages.