“That transition involved basically the nationalisation of the entire gas and heating system. The networks were publicly owned, the gas production was publicly owned, the supply was publicly owned and even the appliance manufacturers were publicly owned.”

In the 10 years to 1977 we converted 13m homes to gas central heating.

But this rapid energy transition was done through central planning and massive nationalisation - not the free market approach of the modern era. Bit by me for Elemental:

elementaldigital.co.uk/what-heat-pump…

'Since their invention, cars and automobility have killed 60–80 million people and injured at least 2 billion'

No comment

This is why we need a handle on supply whilst doing the demand work. We need a plan that encompasses no short haul flights where alternatives exist coupled with the reduction in supply of flight slots and runways.

There's a lot of talk about how badly insulated British homes are, but probably not enough about how badly ventilated British homes are!

So many kitchens don't have proper extraction fans to take the steam and cooking pollutants outside the home.

@[email protected] I mean Biden pretended an energy transition act was about reducing inflation and passed it

*Are* there social and political problems in other areas that have been resolved with spinning and framing? (eg, 'X was controversial until it was renamed Y and became a great success')

@[email protected] James Mackenzie My parents tell me that there was resistance from their own parents' generation. Lots of scepticism and asking 'what's the point?'

@[email protected] Heating is pointless without heat loss...

@[email protected] It's wild to see this from the US's perspective because it's basically a bunch of grumpy 60 yos complaining about installing air conditioning instead of gas heaters

My grandad owned a number of 2 up 2 down terraces that had no bathrooms and central heating. In the early 80's my dad built extensions for bathrooms and fitted central heating and fitted kitchens.

One elderly resident wrote to the MP to complain!

I think even the Green Party (E&W) said this at one point, but did people ever say underfloor heating is pointless without loads of insulation? It’s the same principle.

@[email protected] From adverts I've seen in local papers from the 1960s onwards there was a huge competitive lobbying effort between the Coal Board, Gas and Electricity.

'Nothing heats like Coal' next to an advert for a gas central heating boiler.

@[email protected] Fionna O'Leary, 🕯🇪🇺 In the 1950s there were very few homes with central heating. It was very expensive. Clean air acts required the phasing out of coal. By the 1980s most homes had central heating and it would be hard to sell a house without it. My parents generation were not bankrupted by it.

@[email protected] But consumers can switch to a heat pump virtually for free, as the government £7,500 grant and support from mortgage companies can often cover the full cost, as long as your insulation is up to scratch.
moneysavingexpert.com/mortgages/gree…

@[email protected] Dr Matthew Aylott shared these slides on the resistance to the natural gas roll out at the recent heat pump summit. Resistance to changing heating isn’t new!