www.heatingandventilating.net Heat rises:
The growing role of heat pumps in sustainable energy solutions
Martyn Bridges, director of governmental and external affairs at Worcester Bosch, explores how heat pumps are driving progress in sustainable home heating for the UK
W
e’ve seen healthy growth in heat pump sales in 2024. Retrofit installations are proving themselves to be a particularly
popular option, where engineers swap out a pre- existing boiler for a heat pump. As we move another year closer to our Net Zero deadline, let’s consider the outlook for heat pumps as a sustainable energy solution, capable of heating and cooling homes with minimal environmental cost.
Heat pumps offer more sustainable home heating
Heat pumps are certainly one of the greenest options for domestic home heating. A study backed
by the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero has shown that heat pumps are around three times more energy efficient than gas boilers. Most installations we see are full heat pump
systems, due to the eligibility requirements of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). Currently, the government offers a £7,500 grant to property owners interested in upgrading to a full heat pump system. Yet, there are alternatives to the full configuration, such as a hybrid system. This is where a smaller heat pump is combined with a gas or oil-fired boiler to meet demand. Sales for hybrid systems are typically lower because they aren’t eligible for any financial supplement or grant. This is a marked difference between the UK and
other countries in Europe, such as Belgium and France, where governments contribute towards hybrid purchases too. They tend to acknowledge hybrids and the contribution they can make as a sustainable energy solution more than the UK government does.
Control systems influence system efficiency
One consideration manufacturers are making to help position heat pumps as a strong sustainable energy solution is usability. We’ve noticed a key behaviour change in
Above: Martyn Bridges, director of governmental and external affairs at Worcester Bosch
consumers when they have a heat pump installed, through their interaction with the control system. Currently, there are a range of controls available on the market, some made by pump manufacturers, and some by third parties. Each offers a different user experience, and certain systems can be complicated compared to a traditional boiler control. Poor usability often means that consumers struggle to optimise their heat pump’s settings, leading it to run more frequently or at a higher intensity than necessary. This can reduce overall efficiency – but it doesn’t have to be this way. The currently favoured solution is to run the heat pump from a weather compensation controller, and
if it’s in the right location, then the consumer doesn’t need to make many alterations themselves. Thankfully, control manufacturers are recognising
the challenge and creating simpler, more user- friendly systems – for example, those that adjust the compensation curve automatically. Enhanced usability will encourage consumers to optimise their heat pump configuration, strengthening its position as a sustainable energy solution.
The future of government support for heat pumps
The BUS grant covers a fair amount of the total heat pump installation cost, which Ofgem places at around £13,500. While plenty of green-minded consumers are happy to make up the shortfall, not everybody can or is willing to. This could be a blocker for many property owners. Really, for a greater take-up we need the unit price of electricity to be reduced – or the ‘spark gap’ to be closed – to support widespread electrification. Currently, environmental and societal levies drive up the cost of electricity, so if the government wants to pursue a mass transition to heat pumps, charges need to be moved to gas or general taxation. But this would be a politically damaging thing to do, so instead, progress moves more slowly. From 2025 until March 2028, the government
will have a higher budget of £1.5 billion to support heat pump applications. This coincides with the introduction of the Future Homes Standards, which will almost compel new-build properties to install a low-carbon heating system, such as a heat pump, rather than a traditional boiler. So, the heat pump will continue growing its
share of sustainable heating in the UK. To make faster progress, manufacturers are streamlining control systems to deliver greater efficiency. The government could also explore its options – through incentives for hybrid systems and sustainable electrification, to name a few paths forward.
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HEAT PUMP GUIDE
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