Chris Goggin of Rinnai considers the ongoing role of continuous flow water heaters
The UK is the second-largest consumer of natural gas in Europe, behind Germany. It also ranked second for gas-fired electricity generation in 2024, with natural gas accounting for 30.3% of final electricity production.
Market data also shows that around 1.5 million gas boilers were installed across all UK sectors in 2024, with the majority replacing existing systems.
Natural gas remains an important part of grid flexibility, providing a reliable source of energy when renewable generation is low. When output from technologies such as wind and solar falls, gas-fired generation can be brought online quickly to help maintain a stable supply of power.
For many customers, continuous-flow water heating remains a practical and economical solution. These systems provide hot water on demand, with gas consumed only when hot water is required. This differs from traditional storage systems, which must continually maintain the temperature of stored water.
Although the transition towards cleaner energy sources is continuing, natural gas still provides heating and hot water to around 85% of UK properties. According to the International Energy Agency, it accounted for 36.8% of the UK’s final energy consumption in 2024.
Gas-fired appliances and the wider natural gas infrastructure therefore continue to play a significant role in meeting domestic and commercial energy needs.
Continuous-flow water heaters can help reduce energy use, fuel consumption and carbon emissions by avoiding unnecessary storage losses. While natural gas may receive less attention as the market shifts towards low-carbon technologies, it is likely to remain an important and cost-effective source of hot water for many UK homes and businesses during the transition.
