Five steps to make my home more zero carbon

Imagine achieving a zero or negative annual energy bill and an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of the highest rating! The idea of a zero carbon home is one that produces as much, or more, renewable energy on-site than it uses over the course of a year, resulting in zero net carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. 

In reality, creating a low-carbon home can feel an expensive, out of reach dream. But, if you break making your home lower carbon into 5 simple steps, it becomes a more-manageable and realistic achievement.

Step 1: Understand your energy consumption
Step 2: Insulate your home to keep heat in
Step 3: Get away from gas with an air source heat pump
Step 4: Generate your own electricity with solar panels and battery storage
Step 5: Build a more zero carbon lifestyle around your home

If we want to help Britain go electric to lower our C02 emissions, we've got to break free from our reliance on gas for heating. 

According to the National Audit Office, "Heating the UK’s 28 million homes accounted for 18% of all UK greenhouse gas emissions in 2021, the most recent year for which data are available. The main source of these emissions is from burning natural gas to heat homes. Reducing emissions from heating homes is therefore a key component of the government’s overall target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050." 

First things first - what do we mean by net zero and zero carbon?

What is net zero?

Net zero is the point where any carbon emissions created by humans are cancelled out as the same amount of carbon emissions are taken out of the atmosphere. We’ll reach net zero when the amount of carbon emissions we add, is no more than the amount taken away. 

What is zero carbon?

Zero carbon means no carbon emissions are produced from a product or service, for example wind farms generating electricity. Energy sources like wind, nuclear and solar are zero carbon as they don't create carbon emissions at the point of generation when they are used to produce electricity.  

Step 1: Reduce energy demand

• Installing a smart meter is the first step in lowering your home's carbon footprint
• Your smart meter’s handy in-home display shows how you use energy and can help you make small efficient changes
• Smart meter sends readings automatically so you get more accurate bills⁽¹⁾ and feel the immediate benefit of reducing your energy use
• We're aiming to give all EDF customers a smart meter - once yours is up and running, get personalised tips for saving energy through Energy Hub
• In addition to installing a smart meter, you can get an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to understand what your home needs to become more energy efficient

Step 2: Insulate your home to keep heat in

Energy efficiency is key to making sure that the heat you generate and pay for isn't wasted. 

• A typical home without insulation will lose 33% of heat through the walls and 25% through the roof
• Research in April 2022⁽²⁾ found that only a third of UK homes have ever updated their insulation
• Properties built since the 1920s will likely have cavity walls that your installer can inject insulation into. If your property is older, with solid walls, you can choose between external or internal insulation
• Most properties benefit from loft insulation, which creates a thermal barrier in the roof to prevent heat loss

Step 3: Get away from gas with an air source heat pump

Installing a heat pump means you can move away from gas boilers and put an end to heating your home using fossil fuels. 

• Learn more about the science behind a heat pump using our heat pump guide
• EDF is the UK’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity⁽³⁾, and our air source heat pump, solar and EV energy tariffs are backed by zero carbon electricity
• If an air source heat pump isn't suitable for your home and needs, you may want to look at other low-carbon electric heating options, such as electric radiators and storage heaters
• With a fully electric home, you pay one standing charge and get one easy-to-understand bill

Step 4: Generate your own electricity with solar panels and battery storage

If you’ve installed an air source heat pump, you’ll now be heating your home through electricity rather than gas or oil. Why not create your own solar energy?

• Installing solar panels means you don't have to worry so much about rising energy prices, and you could be saving up to £650⁽⁴⁾ a year
• Adding a battery to your solar panel system means you can store your energy
• With EDF’s Smart Export Guarantee tariff, you can sell any unused energy back to the grid at a guaranteed rate

Step 5: Build a low-carbon lifestyle around your low-carbon home

Congratulations! With efficient, electric heating powered by your own solar panels, you’ve created a low-carbon home that’s cosy and comfortable, protects you from energy price rises and is helping to create an electric Britain. Your low-carbon journey doesn’t have to end here, though! It's a great idea to actually track and measure your home's carbon footprint:

1. Gather annual energy usage data (electricity in kWh, gas/oil in liters/gallons) from your utility bills
2. Get all your transportation data for example, annual car mileage and flights
3. Then put all your information into an online carbon footprint calculator like those from WWF or CarbonFootprint.com to get an estimate based on established emission factors.

• Switching to an electric vehicle (EV) is another big step towards cutting your overall carbon footprint
• See all our low-carbon home products.