Virtual sessions hosted by liquid fuel trade association OFTEC, which also champions the interests of oil heated households, highlighted to MPs and party members how current proposals would unfairly penalise those living off the gas grid.
The Labour conference event took place on Monday 21 September and included Dr Alan Whitehead MP, Shadow Minister for Energy, Peter Smith, director of policy at National Energy Action (NEA), OFTEC's Malcolm Farrow, and Alexandra Goodwin, political consultant at Dods.
The Conservative party conference session, which ran on Sunday 4 October, had Bob Blackman MP on the panel alongside Adam Scorer, chief executive at NEA, Emma Gatten, Environment Editor at The Telegraph, OFTEC's Malcolm Farrow and Guy Newey, strategy director at Energy Systems Catapult.
Fears have been raised that under existing policy plans to reduce carbon emissions from rural homes, oil heated households would be among those expected to buy expensive electric systems called heat pumps which cost over £10,000 to install.
OFTEC is urging the government to give rural households more choice and support oil heated homes to switch to a renewable liquid 'biofuel' made from waste cooking oils, fats and greases. Homes wouldn't need to change their heating systems and could continue to enjoy the benefits of liquid fuels, such as topping up when they want to and shopping around for the best price, whilst drastically reducing emissions.