To ask the Minister for the Economy how her Department’s current Energy Strategy for Northern Ireland supports the deployment of renewable liquid gases, such as BioLPG, as part of Northern Ireland’s decarbonisation pathway, particularly for off-grid rural homes.

The Executive’s Energy Strategy, Path to Net Zero, sets the long-term direction to reach net zero carbon by 2050, with a key principle of replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy. In keeping with this principle, my Department is progressing work to ensure a holistic approach is taken to heat policy, we have recently consulted on offering support for low carbon heating technologies such as heat pumps and have also published a Call for Evidence for both liquid biofuels and biomethane, as we continue to explore their respective roles in the energy transition.

My department continues to work in collaboration across government and with stakeholders to ensure that the transition to net zero is fair, inclusive, and sustainable for all energy users.