More should be done to prepare households to upgrade to electric appliances and stop defaults to like-for-like gas replacements when these systems conk out, according to an energy researcher.
Michael Liebreich, founder of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, says homeowners are rarely in the headspace to deal with extra complications when grappling with frigid homes and cold showers as their gas boilers fail.
While the breakdown of a gas hot-water system or an internal combustion engine vehicle is economically the opportune moment to switch to an electric alternative, reality often gets in the way.
"You call up the plumber and say 'I'm thinking about getting a heat pump', and they say 'I'll have to come around and do a heat-loss measurement'," Mr Liebreich told the Energy Efficiency Council's national conference on Wednesday.
