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.
Alto Energy has been hand picked by Samsung to participate in the Clean Heat Streets project due to our extensive heat pump design and commissioning experience. As an Oxfordshire based company, this is an important project for us and we’re excited to help Oxford transition to a net zero carbon city.
If you're a UK resident considering replacing your gas boiler with a heat pump, this guide will provide you with all the information you need to make the transition. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of replacing your gas boiler with a heat pump, the cost of installation, and the importance of finding an approved MCS heat pump installer.
Here at Alto Energy, we understand that it's vital that both installers and homeowners can obtain delivery of their new heating equipment as and when it's needed. Due to the escalating demand for our heat pump services, keeping pace with the number of orders is an ever-increasing challenge. For context, our order book has doubled in the last year or so, which is obviously fantastic, however as a business it’s important that we continue to provide the high level of service our customers expect of us. It’s a challenge that we have continued to pass, however manufacturer lead times often present logistical problems.
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.
Air source heat pumps are becoming increasingly popular in many UK households for their energy efficiency and low carbon emissions. However, to ensure their optimal performance, it is important to regularly clean, maintain and service them. One of the key things you can do as a Samsung air source heat pump owner is to keep the filter clean.
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.
2023 has started in exactly the same manner as 2022 finished – absolutely manic. Demand for heat pumps and our services has never been higher, meaning that as a business we’re undergoing quite the transformation. As we recap on the achievements of last year, we also look ahead to the opportunities that the coming year presents us with.
Anti-freeze valves and glycol are two different components that serve similar purposes in a heat pump system. Glycol is a type of anti-freeze that is commonly used in heat pump systems to prevent the water in the system from freezing in cold weather. Glycol is specifically designed to lower the freezing point of water, which is necessary to prevent damage to the system in cold conditions. Anti-freeze valves, on the other hand, are designed to automatically open and drain out the water within the system when the water drops below a certain temperature.
