The government wants to hear from industry how best to develop renewable sources of energy for heating homes and businesses.

Energy minister Malcolm Wicks has launched a 鈥渃all for evidence鈥 document that encourages responses from UK firms. He wants to know what renewable heat sources exist and how to 鈥渄e-carbonise鈥 heating systems.

Wicks said: 鈥淗eating our homes and businesses accounts for nearly half of the UK鈥檚 energy demand and for almost half of our carbon dioxide emissions. Keeping warm at the same time as tackling global warming is a big challenge.

鈥淲e are looking for technical contributions and firm evidence of what the government needs to do to develop renewable heat such as biomass, heat pumps and biogas. Also advice on what role low-carbon electricity should play in heating and how surplus heat can be captured, transported and reused to heat local buildings rather than going to waste.鈥

The call seeks advice on how technologies such as combined heat and power, renewable heat, heat from waste, and district heat could be further developed.

To respond, email heatevidence@berr.gsi.gov.uk by 31 March.