Forget the tech for a second. If we’re going to hit net zero, we need something far more elusive — public trust.
That’s the message from Stew Horne, Chair of the Heat and Buidlings Council, in this week’s Net Hero Podcast.
In a straight-talking chat, Stew makes one thing clear: “Net zero isn’t just about energy, it’s about people. It’s about consumers understanding what they need to do, why they need to do it and having the support to get there.”
So why is that trust missing? According to Stew, it’s not hard to see. “If you look back at the Green Homes Grant, the closure of the Feed-in Tariff, the changing nature of the boiler ban — those kinds of things really dent public confidence.”
This isn’t about policy U-turns alone, though. It’s about how we talk to people. “The biggest danger is we lose the public. People don’t know who to trust, they don’t know what to believe and that means they don’t act.”
Stew believes industry and government must work together to simplify choices. “There’s no point in saying, ‘just get a heat pump’ if you don’t know what your house needs or who to speak to. We’ve got to get the advice right first.”
And what about affordability?
“It’s not just about subsidies — we need a long-term plan that actually helps people transition. That could mean new financing models, support schemes, or just better clarity.”
Stew is clear the shift must be fair. “If we’re asking people to change how they live, it’s got to be something they feel part of — not something done to them.”
This is a deep dive into the social side of the energy transition — the side often forgotten. “We’ve got to build a system where people feel they’re part of the journey, not just a cog in the wheel.”
Want to hear more? You can listen to the whole conversation now on your podcast platform — just search Net Hero Podcast.
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