Industry must scale up fast to deliver Boris’s big heat pump plan

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The Prime Minister has pledged to tackle energy efficiency in hospitals, schools, and other public buildings through the £1bn Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and extended the Green Homes Grant for homeowners by a year until March 2022.

Heat pumps were highlighted by the Prime Minister as a key technology for delivering many of the government’s decarbonisation goals and he wants the industry to be installing 600,000 a year by 2028.

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) had already set a target of one million a year by the 2030’s towards an eventual total of 19 million to achieve the government’s 2050 net zero target. However, according to the Heat Pump Association (HPA), just 30,000 will be installed this year rising to around 70,000 in 2021. Industry estimates suggest more than 17,000 new heat pump installers will be needed over the next decade if the government’s targets are to be met.

Lochinvar say the Prime Minister’s hugely ambitious plans for heat pumps must be backed by a major training programme and comprehensive technical support.

The company welcomed the 10-point plan announced for a ‘green industrial revolution’ that he hopes will create up to 250,000 new jobs in low carbon and renewable sectors.

“The Prime Minister’s faith in heat pump technology is a huge morale boost to the industry,” said Lochinvar’s sales director Liam Elmore. “However, we are going to have to scale up very fast to turn vision into reality.”

Consumer advice specialists at The Heating Hub, suggest the Government’s plan to increase heat pump installations is “doomed to failure” without a substantial increase in training for installers.

Jo Alsop, Founder of The Heating Hub, said: “There are many financial and environmental benefits associated with heat pump installations as they operate at very high efficiencies of around 200-300%. The Government’s commitment to increase installations is a welcome move that will help the UK to achieve its goal of net-zero carbon by 2050.

“However, without a meteoric increase in training and investment to upskill the workforce, this goal will be unachievable” 

Steve Richmond, Head of Marketing and Technical for REHAU Building Solutions comments;

“The Government’s plans to bring forward the Future Homes Standard from 2025 to 2023 is excellent news for our transition away from fossil fuel heating.

“The Future Homes Standard, which would ban gas boilers in new builds, has a vital role to play in the UK’s efforts to hit net zero carbon emissions targets by 2050. If it comes into force two years earlier, as we currently understand is the case, this would represent a major step toward reducing carbon emissions in heating. We therefore look forward to finding out more information on this in due course”

Worcester Bosch CEO invited to join the Prime Minister as he launches the Government’s plan for Green Investment and Growth

Carl Arntzen, CEO of Worcester Bosch was delighted to be asked to join the Prime Minister as he launched his Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution.  Carl was one of twenty business leaders also asked to join in a roundtable debate following the announcement.

Carl commented: “We at Bosch welcome the new “green industrial revolution” that has been set out by the Prime Minister. The UK is leading the world in its drive towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and we look forward to working with the Government to help turn admirable ambition into accelerated action. Although 2050 may seem a long way off, action needs to be taken now to ensure that we can reach it.




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