Is LPG better for my oil fuelled off-grid home?

Whether you’ve been using an oil-fuelled boiler for years or you ‘inherited’ an off-grid oil system with a recent house move, it’s high time to explore alternative ways of heating your home. Why? Because innovations in energy are giving homeowners more options than ever before.

Some of these fuels are ready to use right now as a lower carbon alternative – like LPG – and renewable fuels under active development, like bio-propane. With the phase-out of fossil-fuel boilers now delayed until 2035, there’s no better time to be considering LPG when it comes to heating your off-grid home.

LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) is a colourless hydrocarbon gas in a liquid form. Like oil, it is stored in a tank outside your home, and is an energy-rich fuel. Unlike oil, it is more versatile, with the option to use it for gas hobs, radiators and ovens, as well as heating. It doesn’t produce ash, nor is it as smelly as burning oil. Plus, it has a lower sulphur content and lower carbon emissions than burning oil or coal. Alternatively, LPG can work as part of a blended solution incorporating heat pumps, solar panels, EV chargers, wind turbines, and more.

This is making LPG an attractive short and medium-term solution for homeowners, as a switch from oil to LPG is relatively simple, requiring just a boiler change and then new tanks or cylinders. Once in place, you can explore long-term renewable solutions like rDME and bio-propane that are under development and expected to be available from around 2025 for rDME and 2050 for bio-propane. As these lower carbon, renewable liquid gases become available they can be dropped into your existing infrastructure as a blended product with LPG or can be used pure with some small adjustments.

What’s more, LPG systems can be more affordable and simpler to install compared to oil, and you’ll get added peace of mind that your boiler installation will be done by a Gas Safe Registered engineer (a requirement under UK law), whereas oil engineers don’t actually need a qualification to fit an oil boiler. For those wanting the security of knowing your boiler is installed safely, there are more Gas Safe Registered Engineers than OFTEC technicians (qualified oil boiler installers) in the UK.

So, as you explore your options for heating and cooking in your off-grid home, LPG could be right for you. Flogas is a leading supplier of LPG and other energy solutions, and we’re ready to help you make the best choice for your heating needs.