The transition to low carbon heating is at finely balanced tipping point with installers split on whether they will be installing heat pumps in their customers\u2019 homes.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the main finding of a new report from heat solutions provider Baxi which assesses what would encourage installers to take the leap to low carbon sources of heat.<\/p>\n
Baxi\u2019s research with installers found that nearly a third \u2013 equivalent to about 37,000 of the more than 130,000 of the UK\u2019s heating engineers \u2013 are prepared to embrace heat pumps in the near future. By contrast, around 30% say they are extremely unlikely to install heat pumps.<\/p>\n
The government is targeting 600,000 heat pump installations every year by 2028. That is ten times the current market and represents a transformation from early adoption to a mass market proposition. It would require an army of low carbon heating installers to be assisting homeowners and encouraging to make the change.<\/p>\n
Amongst the main findings in the report \u201cHeating Installers: Taking the Leap to a Low Carbon Future\u201d are that the government and the industry will need to address the important issue of training costs, ensuring there is enough demand from customers and reducing paperwork.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 On training costs \u2013 39% said they would be more likely to install heat pumps if they received help with training costs. They currently pay the full cost of training and forgo work in order to receive heat pump training<\/p>\n
\u00b7 On customer demand \u2013 56% of installers said customer demand needed to be addressed and 38% of installers are concerned about lack of government support for the market. The current Boiler Upgrade Scheme which pays a max \u00a35,000 grant to support air source heat pump installations ends in 2025.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 On paperwork \u2013 44% wanted support to reduce the burden of paperwork, for example in applying for government assistance schemes<\/p>\n
Karen Boswell, Managing Director of Baxi UK & Ireland, said: \u201cInstallers will play an important role as we decarbonise the nation\u2019s heating and it will be vital that the government and industry support them with the right information, incentives and training.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey will need to be advocates for low carbon sources of heat and recommend to the nation\u2019s homeowners that they should make the leap to a heat pump. To achieve this, we will need to address their concerns, support them with training, and explain more clearly the financial and non-financial benefits of these appliances.\u201d<\/p>\n
Baxi\u2019s report makes a series of recommendations which include spelling out stronger government initiatives that will drive demand for heat pumps over the coming decade; support for training costs on a first come-first served basis; and an industry wide campaign to market the role of a low carbon heating installer to attract new entrants.<\/p>\n