Date Published 09 February 2024
Landlords and home owners have been improving their properties with more energy efficient solutions like heat pumps. The government recently issued grants for heat pumps but since then there has been widespread reporting that the initial targets for heat pump expansions are to be scrapped.
National newspapers have reported that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is looking to drop plans to fine boiler makers who fail to meet production targets. The new system that is scheduled would be to make boiler companies ensure heat pumps accounted for 4% of their total boiler units. This is looking to be enforced from April and for every item the company falls short their will be a penalty of £3,000.
Due to the announcement of the £7,500 grant made by Sunak last year, heat pump applications rose by 50%. The figures that have been released has also shown more installations of heat pumps around England and Wales. The South West has seen the most with 3,655 installations, followed by the South East (excluding London) with 3,605 and then the East with 2,452. This is still not close to the governments target of 600,000 eco-friendly heat pump installations each year by 2028.
Claire Coutinho who is the Energy Security Secretary weighed in her opinion stating that: 'We recently made our Boiler Upgrade Scheme one of the most generous schemes in Europe. Applications are now up by nearly 50% compared to last year. Helping people, rather than forcing them, to make the right choices for their homes will always be my priority.'
With the scrapping of the 2030 targets for energy efficiency and the unrealistic target of 600,000 installations of heat pumps, it won't be long till we see this target scrapped as well.
