DOMESTIC HEAT PUMPS
Change is coming – but what does it mean for your business?
Last year, the Government announced its objective for the UK to become carbon-neutral by 2050. So, what will change, and how can heat pump installers prepare for it? Here, Iain Bevan, commercial manager – heating and renewables at Daikin UK, provides insight, advice and the lowdown on Daikin’s new Sustainable Home Network initiative.
W
hat effect is the UK’s 2050 target of becoming carbon-neutral going to have on the heat pump market?
The Government’s formal announcement in
June 2019 that the UK will eradicate its net- contribution to climate change by 2050 was undoubtedly the catalyst for inevitable changes to the domestic heating industry. As a nation we have all become increasingly
environmentally conscious, with people endeavouring to make greener, more sustainable choices and lifestyle changes. What the official announcement has done is fix a formal deadline for achieving net-zero emissions, setting the wheels in motion and putting an end to the ‘not now, maybe later’ mentality.
Change is certainly coming, with its effects
soon to be felt throughout the UK. As people turn away from fossil fuels such as natural gas, no longer fitting with the vision of our country’s greener future, homeowners will
20 May 2020
instead start looking towards renewable heating solutions, such as heat pumps, as a suitable alternative. If we are to meet the net-zero 2050
deadline, the Committee for Climate Change (CCC) estimates that by 2030 the UK will require around one million heat pumps installed annually. It is a significant move within the industry; one that offers the potential for a huge, new, sustainable heating market and will likely result in unprecedented consumer demand.
What does this mean for air conditioning engineers? The rise in consumer demand for renewable energy and the increasing market size offers real business potential, not only for traditional heating installers but AC engineers too. In fact, it is estimated that there are currently only an estimated 530 accredited heat pump installers in the UK – a significant gap considering the
CCC’s aforementioned one million heat pump forecast.
Already F-Gas certified, AC engineers are amongst those best positioned to take advantage of this growing market, with their existing technical knowledge and skills able to be applied to a basic understanding of heat pumps. With the correct training, they could quickly obtain access to the complete range of heat pump systems available – as opposed to being limited to closed systems or those without refrigerant, as those without F-Gas certification would be.
Of course, this societal shift from boilers
to renewable energy systems need not affect AC engineers, who predominantly supply and install to the commercial market, but such an exciting opportunity for growth and revenue generation from the domestic market would be difficult to ignore.
How can air conditioning engineers prepare and
www.acr-news.com
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