Industry welcomes heat decarbonisation report

The Ground Source Heat Pump Association and Heat Pump Federation have welcomed the BEIS Select Committee’s report on heat decarbonisation.

Laura Bishop, chair of the GSHPA, said: “The Select Committee acknowledges the central importance of heat pumps to decarbonise heating in homes across the UK; without heat pumps, the UK’s Net Zero ambitions will be hard to achieve. As the committee points out, the pace of change now needs to pick up and firm policy measures put in place, if the government’s ambition to see 600,000 heat pumps installed every year by 2028 is to be realised.

“Undoubtedly, it’s a complex and challenging task but it can be met through specific policy instruments and through greater collaboration with government – central, devolved, regional and local, the heating industry, trades unions and importantly the customer. 

“Households across the country need greater assurance about the cost and environmental benefits of heat pumps, and the practicalities of switching from a gas boiler to a low-carbon heat pump.  Heat pumps are suitable for the majority of homes in the UK. 

“The GSHPA is pleased that the Select Committee has highlighted a number of measures to ramp up the heat pump roll-out, not least the need for a consumer finance scheme, selected grants for consumers and industry, improved training/upskilling of the labour market and a Heat Decarbonisation Sector Deal. These are all measures that the GSHPA has called for, as well as the lifting of the environmental levies on electricity for those using heat pumps.  These environmental levies are inhibiting the adoption of heat pumps and encouraging the continued burning of gas for heating and are undermining the UK’s heat decarbonisation policies.

“The GSHPA will continue to work closely with government and all interested parties to deliver the country’s net zero ambitions, and the specific ambition to have low-carbon domestic heating in all parts of the UK.”

Bean Beanland, the HPF’s director of growth & external affairs, said: “Whether on consumer awareness, skills & training, investment, future funding (affordability), the need for urgency, or the need for massive cooperation between both central and local government and industry, we agree, almost without exception, with the Select Committee’s findings and recommendations.”

“Their report makes clear that rapid development of a Heat Decarbonisation Sector Deal must be a priority. This needs to include policy direction for the 30 years through to net zero 2050 and a domestic heat technology roadmap that has been developed in full collaboration with industry and crucially consumer groups. Consumers need to be positively involved in the net zero journey.

“The Government aspirations and the CCC targets for heat pump deployment are challenges that grow day by day, but if this Select Committee report can provide the springboard that launches an immediate redoubling of government effort against all of the recommendations, then the Federation and its members stand ready to share the burden.”