Heat pump installations in the UK have already exceeded last year’s total, setting a new milestone for the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) with three months still to go in 2024. By the end of September, 42,000 installations were completed—outpacing 2023's total by approximately 4%.
The UK government is launching the Warm Homes Grant in 2025, an exciting initiative aimed at helping homeowners make their properties more energy-efficient. This fully funded scheme is available to those who meet certain criteria and could significantly reduce your energy costs while lowering your home's carbon footprint.
This week, the UK's last coal power station closed, signalling that the country’s energy landscape is undergoing a massive transformation. For over 200 years, coal was king, powering industry and homes alike. But today, renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydro are rapidly replacing fossil fuels in the national grid. With that change comes a new challenge—and opportunity—for those of us in the heating and plumbing industry.
With the UK election out the way and a new government in place, we feel it’s important to explore the potential implications for the heat pump market now that Labour has taken the helm. For plumbers, particularly those considering diversifying into heat pump installations, Labour's anticipated measures could present significant opportunities in the evolving green energy sector.
The UK remains overly dependent on natural gas, according to the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), which provides independent recommendations to the government.
In its recent annual assessment, the NIC highlights the urgent need to reduce reliance on high-cost, high-carbon natural gas and accelerate the adoption of heat pump technology to meet the ambitious net zero targets by 2050. According to the Commission, decarbonising buildings is a critical aspect of this transition and represents the single biggest challenge on the path to net zero.
Yesterday Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a raft of policy changes regarding the UK’s approach to achieving net zero. The majority of the announcement related to pushing back the timeframes for bans on fossil fuel vehicles and boilers. However, the Prime Minister also announced a very welcome boost to the heat pump sector, with the news that the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant will be increasing to £7,500 for all technologies.
We are delighted and encouraged by the government's ongoing commitment to incentivise heat pump adoption. The decision to extend the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) until 2028 (initially scheduled to end in 2025) represents a welcome step forward by the government. This extension will expedite the shift from conventional fossil fuel boilers to sustainable heating systems.
As the UK seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and switch to renewable energy sources, the use of heat pumps as an alternative to gas boilers is progressing. However, recent studies have shown that there is a skills gap in the installation of heat pumps, and many engineers are not equipped to install them. This article explores the results from the recent study, the need for upskilling engineers and the services we provide to help fill the gap.
A coalition of energy, fuel poverty, and environmental groups recently called on the UK Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, to invest billions in upgrading homes with insulation and heat pumps. The group argued that investing in greener homes would make economic sense and create warmer homes with lower bills while improving living conditions.
The Telegraph recently published an article stating UK National targets for replacing gas boilers with heat pumps are based on unrealistic assumptions about the number of installers required to undertake such a transformation. The Energy and Utilities Alliance estimates that almost 3 times as many installers are required if the Government wants to achieve their heat pump installation targets.
The UK, like many other countries, is striving to decarbonise all sectors of the economy to meet net zero targets. This goal, along with the on-going issues with energy prices means that there is a growing demand for products that will make homes energy efficient. Whilst many new builds are being developed with energy efficiency in mind, it’s important to remember that the biggest benefit will be seen by retrofitting most of the UK’s homes with products that will reduce energy consumption.
