INDUSTRY NEWS
INDUSTRY BODIES REACT TO HEAT AND BUILDINGS STRATEGY
T
here has been mixed reaction to the Government’s long-awaited Heat and Buildings Strategy from heating industry
trade bodies. The Strategy has unveiled phased out dates for the
installation of fossil fuel heating, increased funding support for households purchasing heat pumps, and the rebalancing of environmental levies on electricity. Phil Hurley, chair of the Heat Pump Association (HPA),
said: “The heat pump industry warmly welcomes these bold steps forward. The industry is in the best shape it has ever been, with sales this year already double those seen ever before. “This announcement is timed perfectly to take
advantage of the HPA’s recently-launched training course, with the industry now ready to retrain the UK’s army of installers with the capacity to train up to 40,000 per year, to ensure consumers can fi nd a suitably trained and skilled heat pump installer when they need one. “The announcement will give industry and installers
a huge confi dence boost that now is the time to scale-up and retrain in preparation for the mass roll out of heat pumps, as well as making heat pumps as aff ordable as boilers, so all consumers can soon access
and enjoy the benefi ts of aff ordable, reliable low carbon heating that stands the test of time.” Laura Bishop, chair of the Ground Source Heat Pump Association (GSHPA) said: “The GSHPA warmly welcomes the release of the Heat and Buildings Strategy. We look forward to a consistent policy environment which will drive growth in our sector and the UK economy on the path towards achieving Net Zero. “Ground source heat pumps represent a long- term infrastructure asset which delivers unrivalled effi ciencies in generating clean heat, and we hope the policy will underpin the mass market roll out we have been anticipating for some time.” Steve McConnell, director, Industrial & Commercial Heating Equipment Association (ICOM) said: “ICOM and its members have always backed a combined approach to tackle the Net Zero ambitions laid out. We are pleased that the Government has recognised heat networks and hydrogen as the way forward for sectors that will be diffi cult to decarbonise with electricity. It is encouraging that the Heat and Buildings Strategy supports development of innovative and emerging technologies. “The UK has real potential for hydrogen in particular,
MANUFACTURERS BACK HEAT STRATEGY H
eating manufacturers have broadly backed the Government’s newly released Heat and Buildings Strategy, though some believe it
could have gone further. Under the Government’s new plans householders in England and Wales will be eligible for a £5,000 grant to install low carbon heating such as heat pumps. Shaun Edwards, chief executive, Groupe Atlantic
UK, ROI & North America, said: “Ideal Heating welcomes the publication of the Heat and Buildings strategy and the continued support from the UK government to low carbon heating systems, particularly heat pumps. As a manufacturer of multiple heating technologies including heat pumps, we feel we are in an excellent position to support our customers as the market transitions to lower carbon heating solutions. “This commitment from the Government allows Ideal Heating to continue investment in UK heat pump R&D facilities and skills, as well as additional manufacturing capacity, ensuring we meet the specifi c demands of UK homes and installers whilst strengthening the local supply chain.’ Russell Deane, head of residential heating and ventilation at Mitsubishi Electric, said: “Mitsubishi
Electric welcomes the Government’s drive to reduce the cost of heat pumps, and its recognition of the role that such technologies can play in the decarbonisation of our housing stock. If we are to stand any chance of reaching our goals, the way we heat our buildings must change and heat pumps are a big part of this. “To ensure the costs continue to drop for the
consumer we must now see a concerted eff ort to train up a nationwide network of installers that can deliver on this new opportunity. “This can be done by upskilling gas boiler engineers and installers to ensure they are not left behind as the country moves towards a growth in green jobs and heat pumps receive the backing of the big energy network providers.” Karen Boswell OBE, managing director at Baxi Heating said: “We fi rmly believe that all viable technologies have a place, including electrifi cation, hydrogen, and deployment of low carbon heat networks. BEIS is wise to leave these options open as it is clear that no single solution will deliver Net Zero. “One key part of the Strategy is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, designed to encourage the uptake of heat pumps. In our recently published white paper on this subject we highlighted that the £4,000 per installation grant originally consulted upon may not be suffi cient
Above: Carl Arntzen (left), Iain Bevan (right)
to close the aff ordability gap. Therefore, we are pleased to see a higher grant level of £5,000 grant taken forward in the Strategy.” Iain Bevan, commercial manager of heating &
renewables at Daikin UK, said: “We believe that sustainable heating should be accessible for all, and we welcome the funding announced in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. We look forward to fi nding out more about who will be eligible, and which sustainable heating systems are covered. We believe that hybrid systems, where a heat pump works alongside a gas boiler, should be included as they are a vital stepping- stone for those who are new to renewable technology, and can still reduce household CO2 emissions by as much as 55% compared to a traditional gas boiler. Carl Arntzen, chief executive of Worcester Bosch,
said: “Although the Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy does look like a clear indication of ongoing investment, it doesn’t go far enough.
L-R: David Frise, Mike Foster, Laura Bishop, Phil Hurley, Isaac Occipinti, and Steve McConnell
which can deliver new skilled jobs in places where the UK already has a proud industrial and energy heritage. A hydrogen economy will strengthen energy security and give consumers a choice in how they want to protect their comfort levels as well as the planet. It is
6 November 2021
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