Heat pump installations in the UK have already exceeded last year’s total, setting a new milestone for the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) with three months still to go in 2024. By the end of September, 42,000 installations were completed—outpacing 2023's total by approximately 4%.
The UK government is launching the Warm Homes Grant in 2025, an exciting initiative aimed at helping homeowners make their properties more energy-efficient. This fully funded scheme is available to those who meet certain criteria and could significantly reduce your energy costs while lowering your home's carbon footprint.
This week, the UK's last coal power station closed, signalling that the country’s energy landscape is undergoing a massive transformation. For over 200 years, coal was king, powering industry and homes alike. But today, renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydro are rapidly replacing fossil fuels in the national grid. With that change comes a new challenge—and opportunity—for those of us in the heating and plumbing industry.
With the UK election out the way and a new government in place, we feel it’s important to explore the potential implications for the heat pump market now that Labour has taken the helm. For plumbers, particularly those considering diversifying into heat pump installations, Labour's anticipated measures could present significant opportunities in the evolving green energy sector.
The UK remains overly dependent on natural gas, according to the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), which provides independent recommendations to the government.
In its recent annual assessment, the NIC highlights the urgent need to reduce reliance on high-cost, high-carbon natural gas and accelerate the adoption of heat pump technology to meet the ambitious net zero targets by 2050. According to the Commission, decarbonising buildings is a critical aspect of this transition and represents the single biggest challenge on the path to net zero.
Due to the current coronavirus pandemic the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BIES) have published a notice regarding the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The Document outlines the Government’s intention to relax the current ‘12 month rule’ where you have to apply for the RHI within 12 months of the commissioning date of your heat pump.
As of today 30th September 2020 the Green Homes Grant Scheme is now LIVE! You can get £5,000 - or in some instances £10,000 if you’re on certain benefits - off the cost of installing an energy efficient air source heat pump or ground source heat pump. Alto Energy is MCS accredited and Trustmark approved, meaning that we are an approved installer under the scheme.
Read more to find out what you need to do…
In a recent blog post we announced that the non-domestic renewable heat incentive (“RHI”) scheme was scheduled to close as planned in March 2021. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the delays and uncertainty this has caused, the Government has listened to numerous industry voices, including Alto Energy, calling for mechanisms to extend the deadline in order to safeguard heat pump projects already underway.
The Government recently announced more details about the new Green Homes Grant, which will provide home-owners with up to £5,000 to make their homes more energy efficient. The new scheme will see the government fund up to two-thirds of the cost of home improvements of over 600,000 homes, supporting over 100,000 jobs in green construction.
The Government is currently consulting on its new Future Homes Standard, which includes proposals to increase the energy efficiency requirements for new homes in 2020. Part of this includes an update to Part L of the Building Regulations, which is the section that relates to energy efficiency, and in particular the changes that will make heat pumps the go-to heating system for developers.
