HYBRIDS & ALTERNATIVE HEATING SOLUTIONS P


otentially, this could be a massive opportunity for heat pump installers, particularly those with an in-depth understanding of all the


various heat pump options available. The CCC says that around 60,000 heat pumps are


currently installed annually. By 2030 the committee says the number of installations will need to increase to 450,000; and by 2035 there needs to be around 1.5 million heat pumps installed a year.


Another way to meet the target


To achieve these ambitious targets, the CCC says the government will need to support households to address barriers in upfront costs, reduce the price of electricity, and challenge misconceptions about heat pumps.


Assuming the government heeds the CCC’s


advice, there will be growing numbers of households looking to invest in a heat pump heating system for the first time. Many such households will have a limited understanding of the technology and the system choices available to them. That means it will be those installers with a broad


understanding of the various heat pump systems, including the use of a hybrid approach, who will be in the best position to offer informed advice to help them capitalise on any expansion of the domestic heat pump market.


Presenting the options


The likelihood is that most homeowners will only be considering a heat pump system when their current heating system has reached the end of its life. Around 85% of UK homes rely on gas boilers. Of these, 70% are combi-boilers so the home has no hot water cylinder. That means, if a heat pump is to be installed to provide heating and hot water, space must be found for a cylinder. This is where knowledgeable installers can benefit from offering a hybrid heat pump approach. In a hybrid system, the heat pump can provide heating while the boiler produces hot water. This removes the challenge of finding space for the hot water cylinder. Another benefit, which is particularly useful for homes with high heating demand, is that the heat pump and boiler can be used in tandem. As such, during peak heat demand, in exceptionally cold weather for example, the boiler can be used to boost the heating and give installers


www.heatingandventilating.net


Could a hybrid approach accelerate heat pump uptake?


At least half of UK homes need a heat pump by 2040. That was the advice to the government on 26 February 2025 from the Climate Change Committee (CCC) – the government’s independent climate advisers – when it published its seventh carbon budget to set out how the UK could reach Net Zero by 2050. Alpha Innovation investigates


additional confidence that the home will always be comfortable. In addition, by offering intelligent controls


installers can provide homeowners with the opportunity to reduce running costs and cut their carbon footprint. An effective control system will automatically switch from electric heat pump to gas boiler, or vice versa, when it is cost effective to do so. What’s more the controls can be reprogrammed, which can provide homeowners with a cushion from the uncertainty of shifting energy prices.


The benefits to installers


Of course, homeowners will only be able to fully realise the benefits of a hybrid system when the two technologies can work together effectively. This is where a packaged, integrated solution of boiler, heat pump and controls can prove invaluable for an installer. For example, the hybrid package from Alpha combines the E-Tec 33 HB combi boiler with the Alpha E-Tec External Heat Pump unit to


22 May 2025


give a full, cost-effective heating solution. A major benefit is that it includes a Smartech controller. This is designed to use energy prices and outside temperature to automatically choose the most efficient combination of technologies to heat a home. Depending on demand the controls will adjust heating flow temperature to heat the home most efficiently. At the same time, the combi boiler will ensure hot water is available instantaneously, whenever it is required. Installing the hybrid system is similar to


replacing a gas boiler. Registered gas engineers will generally need only a small amount of additional training from Alpha. Feedback from installers is that hybrid training has helped them better understand the options they can offer to homeowners. It also gave them the confidence to promote a hybrid heat pump solution to households looking to embrace a heat pump solution for the first time, particularly as it has the additional peace of mind that the heat pump will always have a combi boiler as back-up.


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