Why You Should Beware of Going ‘All-In’ on Electricity
In my update today, I’m focusing on a topic that has become of growing concern to me in recent months.
Over the past decade, UK households have been encouraged to electrify almost everything. Cars are going electric. Gas boilers are being phased out in favour of heat pumps. Even cooking is increasingly moving from gas to electricity.
On paper, this all fits with the Government’s drive towards Net Zero. But there’s a growing issue that doesn’t get discussed nearly enough: What happens if the electricity supply isn’t always there when you need it?
As we look ahead to the coming years, relying solely on electricity to power and heat your home could leave you exposed – financially and practically.
Growing Pressure on the UK’s Electricity System
Electricity demand in the UK is set to rise sharply. Two of the biggest drivers are:
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Electric vehicles (EVs) – millions of households charging cars at home, often at similar times of day
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Electric heat pumps – particularly air-source heat pumps, which draw large amounts of power in cold weather
At the same time, electricity generation is becoming increasingly weather-dependent. Wind and solar are growing fast, but they don’t always produce power when demand is highest – especially during cold, still winter evenings when heating demand peaks.
The National Grid has so far managed to keep the lights on, but it has done so by relying on emergency measures, reserve power contracts and public appeals to reduce usage at peak times. That’s a sign of a system under strain.
The Risk of Power Cuts Is Increasing, Not Decreasing
While widespread blackouts are still relatively rare, the risk of localised or short-term power cuts is rising.
Reasons include:
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an ageing electricity distribution network
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rapid increases in peak demand
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greater reliance on intermittent renewable generation
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delays and cost overruns in upgrading grid infrastructure
For households that depend entirely on electricity for heating, hot water and cooking, even a short power cut in winter can quickly become a serious problem.
When Electricity Goes Off, Everything Stops
If your home uses electric heating only:
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heat pumps stop working
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electric radiators go cold
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immersion heaters stop producing hot water
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induction hobs and electric ovens are unusable
By contrast, homes with non-electric power and heating options retain a degree of resilience. That resilience has real value, particularly for older people, families with young children, or anyone living in rural areas where power cuts tend to last longer.
Diversification Isn’t Just for Investments
Regular readers of Pounds and Sense will be familiar with the idea of diversification. You wouldn’t normally put all your savings into a single investment – and the same principle applies to household energy.
Having more than one way to heat your home reduces risk and gives you flexibility when prices spike or supplies are disrupted.
Alternative and Backup Heating Options to Consider
Here are some heating methods that can be used instead of, or alongside, electricity:
Gas Heating (Where Available)
Despite its declining popularity in policy circles, mains gas remains:
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reliable
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relatively inexpensive
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highly controllable
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independent of the electricity grid (for heat, though central heating boilers still need some power to operate)
A gas boiler can continue to provide warmth during electricity shortages if paired with a simple backup power source, such as a home storage battery or generator. In addition, most free-standing gas fires can operate without any need for electricity.
Wood-Burning or Multi-Fuel Stoves
A solid fuel stove can be an excellent backup heat source:
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operates independently of electricity
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provides direct radiant heat
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can often heat a large living space effectively
Modern stoves are far cleaner and more efficient than older open fires, though fuel storage and local air-quality rules must be considered.
Open Fires and Solid Fuel Fires
While less efficient than stoves, open fires still provide:
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a non-electric source of heat
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emergency warmth during prolonged outages
They can also burn a range of fuels, depending on the fireplace and chimney setup. Again, fuel storage and local air-quality rules will need to be considered.
Oil or LPG Heating (Rural Homes)
For off-grid properties, oil or LPG systems offer:
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independence from the electricity network for fuel supply
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predictable heating performance in cold weather
They are often criticized on environmental grounds, but from a resilience perspective they remain useful options.
Portable Backup Options
Even smaller measures can help:
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portable gas heaters (used safely and with ventilation)
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camping stoves for boiling water
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thermal storage heaters or insulated hot water tanks
These won’t heat a whole house but can make a big difference during short outages.
Balancing Net Zero with Common Sense
The Government’s rush towards Net Zero is placing enormous pressure on the UK’s energy system. Whether the huge cost and disruption caused can be justified is (in my opinion anyway) arguable. What’s in no doubt, however, is that the transition period will be messy, expensive and uncertain.
Households that move too quickly to an all-electric setup may find themselves exposed to:
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higher running costs
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reduced resilience
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greater vulnerability during supply disruptions
That doesn’t mean rejecting electrification entirely – but it does mean thinking very carefully before putting all your power and heating eggs in one basket.
My Personal Situation
I live in a detached house built about 40 years ago in suburban Staffordshire. I have gas central heating and an electric cooker. I also have a free-standing gas-fire in the lounge. I have solar panels on the roof and a Givenergy home-storage battery, which I bought a couple of years ago.
When I first heard about heat pumps I did look into the possibility of getting one. I soon realised, however, that I didn’t want to go down this route. As discussed above, I didn’t like the thought of becoming too reliant on electricity, especially with the growing likelihood of power outages. Also, the heating pipes in my house are quite narrow and I have been advised that if I were to get a heat pump, the existing pipes would all have to be taken out and replaced as well. Needless to say, that would add considerably to the cost, not to mention the disruption.
In addition, heat pumps generally operate at lower temperatures than gas central heating, meaning they have to be kept on all the time to ensure the house remains at a comfortable temperature. I have also heard it said that in very cold weather they may not be able to provide adequate warmth on their own. So you really do still need a back-up heating option anyway.
With all these considerations (and others), I therefore plan to stick with my present set-up for the foreseeable future. If at some point gas boilers are banned and/or gas is cut off completely, I will obviously have to rethink this. But as I am now 70, realistically that’s unlikely to happen in my lifetime. In the improbable event that it does, I would think about switching to an electric boiler, which could be installed instead of my old gas boiler without all the pipes in the house having to be torn out and replaced. This would be a lot cheaper to buy and less disruptive than switching to a heat pump, though possibly more expensive to run. Looking to the future, other non-heat-pump alternatives are very likely to appear as well.
Obviously, all of this is just my personal opinion. You may disagree, but I thought it might be helpful to explain my thinking on these matters as they stand now.
The Bottom Line
Electric heating will undoubtedly play a major role in the UK’s future. But in my view relying on electricity alone for heating is increasingly risky.
Where possible, having an alternative or supplementary heating source provides:
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peace of mind
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practical resilience
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protection against both power cuts and price shocks
As with personal finance, a bit of diversification can go a very long way.
As always, I welcome any comments or questions on this article.
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