Speaking at the launch of a new policy paper, Foster called for an urgent shift away from the government’s “heat pump-only” strategy toward hybrid heating systems that combine gas boilers with smaller heat pumps.

The White Paper, Accelerating Decarbonisation of Britain’s Homes, reveals that hybrid systems can cut carbon emissions by up to 70 per cent immediately and offer lower running costs for homes rated EPC band D–F compared to both heat pump-only or gas-only systems.

Foster criticized policymakers for focusing on appliance types rather than outcomes:

“Current policy is about installing electric heating in every home, regardless of cost, disruption, or consumer acceptability. That’s wrong. The goal should be cutting carbon and bills in the most cost-effective way—and hybrids deliver that.”

He highlighted key advantages of hybrids:

• Faster decarbonisation without costly home insulation upgrades.
• Lower infrastructure costs, reducing the need for additional wind turbines and pylons.
• Energy security, especially when combined with green gases like biomethane.

“Only a fool would dismiss hybrids as a viable option. This is about keeping families’ bills under control while meeting net zero targets sensibly,” Foster added.

See the Hybrid Heating systems: Accelerating Decarbonisation of Britain’s Homes Executive Summary here