The proposal is part of a set of initiatives aimed at helping households save on energy bills by cutting the use of expensive fossil fuels.
The consultation was published alongside a £25m funding pledge to speed up the deployment of technology that makes hydrogen using bioenergy – such as burning wood pellets – and with the carbon dioxide that is generated captured and permanently stored.
The government said the technology would be carbon-negative, as the plants used for energy would absorb carbon as they grow, and then it would be permanently removed from the atmosphere through storage.
In addition to the requirement to make all new boilers 'hydrogen-ready', the consultation also proposes setting higher efficiency standards for new gas boilers.
The initiative comes alongside a £102m investment on nuclear and hydrogen energy announced on Tuesday, which aims to help the UK develop a “thriving” low-carbon hydrogen sector as part of its push to...