Bid to end fuel poverty for Scots by 2040 'at risk unless clean heat shift speeds up'

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The Scottish Government’s target to eradicate fuel poverty by 2040 is in jeopardy unless the transition to clean heat and energy efficient homes speeds up, it’s been warned.The Existing Homes Alliance (EHA) urged SNP-Green ministers to “seize the moment” and accelerate the shift to green home heating, including by helping Scots to insulate their leaky houses and flats.That will help lower emissions and energy bills, campaigners said.The housing coalition said the Holyrood’s government Heat In Buildings Bill - aimed at decarbonising home heating by 2045 - also needs to include an “explicit commitment” to tackling the blight of fuel poverty.Shock research last week found one in three households in Scotland are now living in fuel poverty - with 18 per cent in “extreme poverty”.Meanwhile, only around half of homes have an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of C or better, although that’s improved by around seven percentage points since 2019.The Scottish Government says all private landlords must meet EPC C as a minimum energy efficiency standard by 2028, with the date for owner-occupiers 2033.All fossil fuel heating should be removed from Scots homes and buildings by 2045 under the plans.In its consultation response to the proposals, the EHA - made up of housing, environmental, fuel poverty, consumer and industry groups - said it backed these targets.Public affairs lead Gillian Campell said: “Scotland has a statutory target to reach net zero by 2045 - but that won’t be met unless we have clear regulations on how we heat our homes.“The Scottish Government has a real opportunity with the Heat in Buildings Bill to, not only provide clarity for homeowners, but to give a clear signal to industry that there is a pipeline