The strategy — which has been subject to years of consultation — will likely be presented as an essential step to reduce U.K. reliance on fossil fuels and to cut energy bills in the context of the Iran war and the resulting surge in oil and gas prices, they added.
“We’re expecting it to confirm that all new homes will have heat pumps or connections to low-carbon heat networks,” the person said, “and the vast majority of new homes will have solar.”
The policies are in line with expectations, and the timing of the publication suggests the government is using the Middle East energy crisis to double down on green plans at home.
A third energy sector figure, also granted anonymity to speak candidly, said they had expected plans for publication to be “accelerated” after Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said on Sunday the government would go “further and faster” in pursuit of clean energy and electrification.
The Future Homes Standard, first planned under the previous Conservative government, has been beset by delays and lobbying by house builders concerned that some of its measures could push up costs or prove impractical.
But the third energy sector figure added: “It looks like the crisis has shut up the volume house-builder lobbyists.”
An official at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the FHS will mean new homes need “no future retrofitting to meet net zero” and will contribute to bringing down bills.