Heat is one of the hardest things to decarbonise and buildings are responsible for around 30 per cent of our national emissions. Therefore, decarbonising homes and buildings in Mid Sussex will not only help the UK work towards net zero emissions but also create unparalleled opportunities for job creation and innovation.
As such, the Government understands the potential of heat pumps in driving down carbon emissions, as do I, and consequently has set an ambitious target of 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028.
I am pleased to inform you that a £60 million Heat Pump Ready programme will help to reach this target and provide funding for pioneering heat pump technologies: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-pump-ready-programme
The ambitious Heat and Buildings Strategy marks a step change in improving energy efficiency. From 2035, all new heating systems installed in UK homes will either use low-carbon technologies, such as electronic heat pumps, or will support other new technologies, such as hydrogen-ready boilers, where the Government is confident fuel can be clean and green.
To encourage consumers to install low-carbon alternatives, a new £450 million three-year Boiler Upgrade Scheme will offer households £5,000 for low-carbon heating systems, such as heat pumps and £6,000 for ground source heat pumps. This scheme is open to domestic and small non-domestic properties, running from 2022 to 2025. More information about eligibility can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-may-be-eligible-for-the-boiler-upgrade-scheme-from-april-2022
Please be assured, the Government has been clear that no-one will be forced to remove their existing fossil fuel boiler, but with industry confident that electric heat pumps will be as cheap to buy and run as gas-fired appliances by 2030, homeowners will be able to easily make these choices when the time comes to replace their old boiler.
You can find my other campaign statements on heat pumps here: https://www.mimsdavies.org.uk/news/new-plan-drive-down-clean-heating-costs