NEWS EXTRA HEATING THEM HALFWAY
Worcester Bosch is calling on the government to consider including hybrids in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme after a research trial proves hybrid heating technology is an effective solution to lower carbon heating for UK homes.
FINDINGS FROM A joint research project between heating and hot water manufacturer Worcester Bosch and the University of Salford, has found that hybrid heat systems can effectively heat homes in the UK while still working towards the country’s net zero goals.
The study took place at the Energy House Lab at the University of Salford, a full-scale reconstruction of the type of pre-1920 end-terrace home commonly found across the UK. According to the hybrid trial whitepaper, a hybrid heat pump has the potential to:
Deliver a weighted average of 94% of the total annual heat demand from the heat pump element,
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handle 100% of the heating requirements when outdoor temperature is 7°C or above - and when at coldest (-3°C) contribute above 70% of the total space heating,
Reduce 1,270kg of CO2 compared to a boiler-only saving - approximately 77% of the carbon savings of a full heat pump.
Lower bills
The trial involved a ‘bivalent parallel system’ - where a heat pump and boiler run in parallel via a smart ‘hybrid manager’. The heat pump acts as the primary heat source, with the boiler only adding supplementary heat to meet demand when the outdoor temperature drops. This design enables efficient heat delivery - particularly during winter peaks when demand is at its highest. The findings confirm that a hybrid heat pump system offers real, practical benefits for homeowners, without the costly and disruptive preparatory work to properties.
These benefits include: • estimated Savings of £79 on
do we move forward now in a constructive way to get to an eventual point in the future when the vast majority of all our domestic properties are decarbonised?
“Lowering the carbon emissions of the UK’s homes is a shared goal that requires a range of effective and accessible solutions.”
annual energy bills compared to a standalone gas fired boiler (based on Cosy Octopus Tariffs) • Improve Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of the property from Band D to C - a key government target, (analysis conducted with RdSAP 9.94) • Provide a more cost-effective route to lower carbon heating, delivering 1.5x the present carbon savings per pound of public spending (Assumed CO2 emissions per usage of kWh of electricity (0.207 kg CO2e/kWh) and gas (0.183 kg CO2e/kWh).
A push for change The company believes the findings present strong evidence that hybrid heat systems should be considered in government initiatives that encourage increased uptake of lower-carbon technologies. Carl Arntzen, CEO of Worcester Bosch, says: “Lowering the carbon emissions of the UK’s homes is a shared goal that requires a range of effective and accessible solutions. The findings from our work with
December 2025
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the University of Salford are clear: bivalent parallel hybrid heat pumps are a practical and highly effective technology for the UK today. “We believe government recognition and financial support for hybrid heat pumps, such as including this proven technology in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), presents an opportunity to make the transition to lower carbon heating faster, fairer and more effective. It offers a practical and accessible stepping-stone on the journey to net zero for millions of households.”
Why go hybrid? With the government’s
commitment to decarbonisations, Worcester Bosch believes that incentivising these hybrid systems can work to transition the domestic market into low carbon heating.
“We all have to accept that we need to decarbonize the way we heat our homes and our buildings.” Arntzen explains. “What we’re saying is, how
“Heating is usually a stressed purchase, so people want the quickest solution. The boiler in a hybrid system can be set up, commissioned and ready to go in a day. This is a huge advantage over heat pumps as; to use an analogy, a customer doesn’t want to own a drill, they just want a hole in the wall. Householders just want hot water and a heated home, and will usually pick the quickest and easiest option, which for many means just replacing the boiler they already have.
“In the short term the government favoured 100% decarbonisation, and we’ve see some growth in that, but we believe you could accelerate that growth by drastically going hybrid for 80/20. That’s 80%, decarbonation, for 20% of the upfront costs. Then you enforce regulations to say when you when that system comes up for a replacement, you go for a solo heat pump.
“It would require policy or good incentives, and that’s some of the learning we’ve started to take on from the Netherlands. A few years ago they were going down that line of getting peoples heating restored quickly, but then have them commit to the installer coming back again and put the hybrid system in. since then, they’ve actually moved quite a long way now down the line; they’re actually getting the boiler replaced in an emergency and then, because there are grants available, most consumers are having the hybrid element installed within the next few days.
“It’s all about getting people started.” BMJ
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