Is A Lower Cost Heat Pump the solution?

Heat Pump prices are predicted to fall by the end of the decade. A report by the UK Energy Centre published in April 2023 has forecast a 20-25% reduction in installation costs. Over the past decade, the movement has ranged from slow to non-existent in terms of the cost of installing a heat pump. Is a reduction in price going to prove to be the catalyst in the take-up of heat pumps? With the deadline of the ‘Boiler Upgrade Scheme’ coming to an end in 2028. Is the reduction of installation coming a little too late?

At Fischer, there is a firm belief that when it comes to lowering emissions and aiming for Net Zero by 2050, there isn’t a ‘One Size Fits All’ approach. The reduction in the price of Air Source Heat pumps is a step in the right direction in aiming for mass adoption but it’s not just the cost price that requires change.

The deployment levels have been slow. Figures for 2022, calculate that only 60,000 heat pumps were installed during the course of the year. The Government expects to reach 600,000 per year by 2028. Whilst incentives are present, like the ‘Boiler Upgrade Scheme’ and the ‘Heat Training Grant’ aimed at providing heating engineers with training to install Heat Pumps. Public perception and adoption would need to undertake a massive shift to reach these targets by 2028.

Air Source Heat pumps are a solution for homes to lower their carbon emissions as the country shifts away from gas. They are 100% efficient, require minimum maintenance and pose an impressive lifespan. A reduction in cost is welcome and shows a degree of urgency by the government. However, a continuous lack of support for the other offerings available could be hurting the Net Zero strategy long term.

One way to understand why there isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ approach is to look at how Air Source Heat Pumps can struggle to function in the UK.

ASHPs need the home to be properly insulated in order to provide and maintain the household with a level of comfortable heat. The United Kingdom has one of the oldest housing stocks in Europe, but many are lacking proper, modern levels of insulation. Without this, the ASHP will struggle to effectively heat the home without upgrading the insulation levels or installing underfloor heating – a practice that could prove costly.

Looking towards Europe, it’s understandable to see how take up on the continent has been quicker – with 19.3 million now installed. The efficiency of the houses and the levels of insulation present is unmatched by those in the UK, so the same methods can’t be blanketly applied.

A solution to this is using ASHP’s in conjunction with other low-emission heating sources.

This will amplify efficiency and not leave customers out in the cold. As ASHP’s already work at a lower temperature than their gas counterparts and with most homes requiring larger radiators to convincingly heat a room because of this, Fischer’s Hybrid Package provides Electric Heaters to work alongside the ASHP. Instead of upgrading the size of your radiator, you can upgrade the efficiency.

Adding Electric Heaters to the home will grant you enhanced control over your energy usage, allowing room-by-room heating control. Enjoying the same 100% efficiency and minimum maintenance costs to the ASHP, but adding an extra layer of immediate warmth to your home.

Alongside Electric Heaters, Fischer’s Hybrid Package provides an Aquafficient Eco+, this works as an Air Source Water Heater, but sources the air from inside the home, rather than out. Allowing you to heat water, without the need for the heat pump.

Fischer’s Air Source Heat Pump is unique. The heating and hot water elements are independent, meaning one can be used without the other. Having this level of control can prove beneficial in the summer months, as because the heating element can be switched off, the noise from the unit won’t disturb those garden afternoons and ultimately lowering your energy usage.

With hybrid solutions, like Fischer’s, the customer is investing and upgrading for the long-term efficiency and emission sustainability of their home heating.

In the past 12 months, 47% of UK consumers purchased low-carbon technology. This can range from solar panels to energy-efficient devices. The desire for change is there. However, only 2% of that relates to heat pumps. If cost is going to be a factor in the take-up, even with the government grant, it remains to be seen. Word of mouth can be just as powerful as providing cost benefits, however, only 50% of the public has heard of heat pumps. With a further 73% unaware of government grants related to them, takeup isn’t going to increase if the product and the financial incentives remain a mystery to half the population.

If we are to approach and successfully reach net zero by 2050, these hybrid solutions are one of the avenues the governments should go down. The slow and uneventful take up of ASHP’s combined with the ‘all eggs in one basket’ direction taken by the government is going to do little for consumer confidence moving forward and could add a layer of skepticism in the population amongst the efficiencies of low carbon energy sources replacing trusted methods like gas.

It’s really time for the government to seriously look at alternative methods of heating. Particularly hybrid solutions. As Fischer rightly knows ‘one size doesn’t fit all’.