The UK government has been urged to back a campaign for cooking oil to be used to heat homes Hertfordshire.

Future Ready Fuel revealed reports that find 4,000 oil heated housholds in Hertfordshire could reduce their carbon emissions quickly and easily.

This can be done by switchig to a renewable liquid fuel made from cooking oil.

Home owners are being urged to write to their MP to secure support for the campaign.

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This proposal comes after a successful two-year project which saw a coastal village in Cornwall switch from kerosene to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).

Around 17 homes, as well as the church and school in Kehelland participated in the scheme.

The ‘Kehelland Project’ was part of a larger demonstration covering 150 premises across the UK.

The report stated the village could be a blueprint for rural communities across Hertfordshire to switch to the renewable liquid fuel in support of the UK’s carbon reduction targets.

Converting each oil boiler to HVO takes a few hours with an estimated cost of around £500 per property.

As a result, emissions will immediately be reduced by 88 per cent.

The fuel is sustainably sourced and research shows there is more than enough supply to meet demand.

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Paul Rose and Ken Cronin, CEOs at OFTEC and UKIFDA, said: “This successful project demonstrates how renewable liquid fuels can offer a low cost, undisruptive and simple route to greener heating for rural homes on oil and could be replicated across Hertfordshire.

“We all want to play our part in reducing our carbon emissions, but in the current cost of living crisis there is no appetite from consumers to foot the bill.

"That’s why we launched our pioneering project to demonstrate there is an alternative solution.

“We’re calling for the government to amend its Energy Bill to mirror the current scheme in place for HVO use in transport, for homes, which would greatly reduce the cost of HVO for oil users to support a transition to the greener fuel.”

The government has yet to publish its response to the consultation.

More information can be found on futurereadyfuel.info.