Yesterday’s budget featured some positives for the heat pump sector, including an increase in funding for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, announced earlier this month, for the next two years and support to grow the heat pump manufacturing supply chain. Even with these positives, we are still way behind the rest of Europe when it comes to heat pumps and we echo the sentiment of the Heat Pump Association – more needs to be done to accelerate the electrification of heat if we are going to meet our legally binding net zero targets.
Overall, it is crucial that UK homes become more efficient, to help reduce energy bills and ensure people are warm. Fuel poverty is a very real issue for many, and I was pleased to see an initial commitment to the Warm Homes Plan, with £3.4bn set aside over the next three years to decarbonise and improve the efficiency of existing housing stock and a pledge to build 1.5 million more homes. Heat pumps and other renewables are included this plan, helping to make low carbon technologies accessible for all. However, I would encourage our government to ensure that plans for the introduction of The Future Homes & Buildings Standards due in 2025 are seen through without delay.
It’s time to pick up the pace in our transition from fossil fuels, I hope to see more focus on the ways we can achieve this in the years ahead as the first significant net zero milestones loom.
