The ‘Electrification of Heat’ Demonstration Project has found disruption to households during heat pump installation to be the main barrier to a mass rollout in the UK, and has called for sector innovation to facilitate a solution.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has launched a £9.2 million scheme that will help establish 9,000 training courses for heat pump and energy efficiency installers.
“When we look at the forecast from now to 2050, we're looking at a doubling of electrical demand from a few hundred-terawatt hours to over 600TWh,” said Barry Hurst, head of business development at Enel X.
The UK is 20% more dependent on gas imports than the rest of Europe due to the low number of heat pumps, according to the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU).
A new training academy has been launched by EDF Energy, CB Heating and Daiken, with the companies entering a partnership aimed at upskilling heat pump installers.
The Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA) has called on Ofgem to conduct a village-sized trial of using heat pumps to decarbonise homes. The trial, which would mirror the UK Government backed hydrogen village that is hoped to begin trial in 2025.
The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) has indicated the UK’s renewable industry has shown “great resilience and ingenuity” with the government having failed to match its net zero commitments.
