SerpApi.Org
Households with heat pumps face having their central heating turned down remotely over winter in a push to avoid the risk of blackouts.
Licenced electricity suppliers will be able to control heat pumps via the internet by the end of next year under Ed Miliband’s plans to help Britain’s energy system cope with high demand.
The proposed Smart Secure Electricity Systems scheme would allow grid bosses to tell the likes of Octopus Energy and British Gas to ration heat pump power when the electricity network comes under strain.
This would typically be during winter cold snaps.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said the rationing system, officially referred to as “load control”, would help balance the grid during peak demand, making blackouts less likely.
The Government said energy suppliers “will be able to remotely control significant amounts of electrical load through EV [electric vehicle] charge points, heat pumps, etc”.
It is proposed that only households that agree to become part of the system would be included. In return they would be offered discount tariffs.
Blackout risk
The risk of blackouts is expected to become more extreme as net zero policies shift energy demand from gas to electricity and supply becomes more dependent on wind and solar generation, which are less reliable than fossil fuels.
More than 223,000 heat pumps are installed across the country, according to the latest official statistics. The Energy Secretary has set a target for 450,000 to be installed annually by 2030. Since April last year, every new heat pump must be able to connect to the internet.
Ministers and officials are seeking ways to crimp electricity demand as signs of strain on the grid become more apparent.
Whistleblowers at the National Energy System Operator, DESNZ’s quango in charge of the grid, have claimed that bosses sought to cover up just how close the country came to blackouts during June’s heatwave.
An independent investigation into the claims – which were made public by Claire Coutinho, the shadow energy secretary – has been launched.
‘Labour has no permission for this’
Addressing the heat pump plans, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader, said: “The Government says the purpose is to balance the electricity grid but it’s like living in a totalitarian state.
“The Government has no permission for this, its energy policy has become an ideology.”
Opponents warned that remote control of heat pumps could lead to dangers during cold snaps or heatwaves as more households adopt the technology.
Kathryn Porter, an energy consultant at Watt-Logic, said: “These proposals are particularly worrying in the context of recent hand-wringing over air conditioning: providing remote control over heat pumps would allow third parties to prevent cooling altogether while potentially restricting heating on cold winter days.”
Ms Porter said the Government’s plans “have people serving the grid rather than the other way round”.
Experts called on Labour to guarantee that under the system, heat pump households would be able to override remote orders.
There are also concerns about the risk of heat pumps being hacked once connected to the internet.
A DESNZ spokesman said: “Smart heat pumps from reputable manufacturers already have robust security protocols in place, so the cybersecurity risk is low.
“We have consulted on new rules which go even further, so every heat pump sold in the UK meets the strongest security standards.”
The proposals are under consultation as Mr Miliband prepares for a potential move away from energy policy to another senior Cabinet position under Andy Burnham.
The effect of such a move on Britain’s net zero policy is unclear.
Mr Burnham has signalled that he will support North Sea oil and gas drilling, which Mr Miliband has stymied.
