The UK Government has today been told to do better when it comes to Heat Pumps and Hydrogen Boilers.
A watchdog for spending has said that the Government in the UK needs to do more to make green energy heat pumps and other green central heating options more affordable for the UK customers. They have also said that rules and regulations need to be clearer and more transparent. The pledge that the UK Government made at COP2021 has already seen its' fair share of changes.
You can read our original article about the pledges made at the COP26 a couple of years ago here. According to figures that have been released the number of heat pump installations at the end of 2023 was less than half of the number that was pledged to be fitted by then at COP26. The uncertainty and lack of understanding in the general public about how green energy heat pumps work and how much they cost is having a really detrimental effect on the construction industry - particularly in the new build sector.
Another point that has been raised is to explain the use of hydrogen boilers in buildings better. This and the fact that not as many green energy heat pumps are being fitted as hoped are both having a detrimental effect on the planning of and the investment in new build projects, both residential and commercial. Residential heating is almost 20% of the UK's total carbon emissions so it is something that seriously needs to move forward if the government want to use heat pump as the main way to get those carbon numbers down.
What does this mean for green energy heat pumps?
Until the cost of heat pumps comes down, and clarification on other ways to decarbonise homes and commercial properties happens, it looks like the Government are going to be a long way off hitting those original numbers they put out there at COP26. There also needs to be some good information and education about the ways to have a green energy home because until the public can afford and can understand what it all is and means, then I think it is safe to say uptake on new systems will be very slow indeed.
Can We Get Green Energy Heat Pumps In Our Homes?
The short answer is YES! You can get green energy heat pumps installed in all of your homes and new build properties! You may even qualify for a grant from the UK Government to help cover the cost of the installation and equipment. These grants can be worth up to £7500 which has recently been increased from around £5000. For more information on the Boiler Upgrade Scheme please click here. This scheme has recently been extended to run until 2028 and the Government hope that this will give many more people more time to get an application in and for it to be approved. Vulnerable families also still have access to grants for cavity wall and loft insulation, draft excluders, light bulbs and more.
If you want to give your home an energy efficiency health check you can do that on the government website which has lots of useful information for the home dweller and the trades person. Just click on this link to be taken to the Government website.
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Thanks for reading this article about green energy heat pumps. If you have a topic you want to discuss then please get in touch with us!
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