Heat pump designs need improving to increase uptake

Heat pumps and electric vehicle (EV) charge points need to be made “more visually appealing” to secure public buy-in.

That is according to a joint report by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Infrastructure which outlines public behavioural changes required to meet net zero.

The report focusses on five areas for improvement. For the uptake of heat pumps and EVs, the report’s main recommendations are around addressing market and non-financial barriers.

This includes “improv[ing] the design aesthetic of EV and heat pump infrastructure to make it more visually appealing”.

In September, Octopus claimed it had ended “the days of ugly heat pumps” when its chief executive Greg Jackson unveiled the ‘Cosy 6’; a 6kW heat pump and the first to be built entirely in-house (pictured above).

However, ICE’s research suggests that there is still some way to go to convince the public.

A survey carried out as part of the report found that just 36% of people find heat pumps “appealing”, with only 11% of respondents aware of a significant number of people who have switched to the electric heating system.

That is despite 59% of people stating that widespread uptake of heat pumps would be an effective way to reach net zero targets.

The report states: “As members of the public themselves do not necessarily know many people making changes, such as installing a heat pump or switching to an electric vehicle, there is a lack of social pressure for many to make changes. This is because the behaviour has not yet become socially normative.

“To support and engage the public to change their behaviour to get to net zero and encourage these behaviours to become socially normative, there must be more certainty from government regarding policy directives and financial incentives.”

It adds: “Rather than enforced push factors, a gentler incentive-based approach will lead to longer-term behavioural shifts, helping to support the public and accelerate the net zero transition.”

In particular, the report calls on government and industry to minimise upfront installation costs for heat pumps and to incentivise uptake by extending the existing Green Home Finance Accelerator pilots.

It also backs stamp duty incentives which could facilitate uptake by encouraging homeowners to invest in heat pump technology when purchasing a property.

The report also calls for a “clear policy path” which outlines a long-term plan for deployment of heat pumps.

It adds: “Inconsistent policymaking has had a negative impact on the public’s ability to engage with net zero. Mixed messages from the government on policy, strategy and timings have not supported public behavioural change. Thus far, a lack of joined-up policymaking and wider policy incoherence has impacted the progress of the electric vehicle transition, decarbonising homes and investing in energy efficiency.

“A more supportive policy environment will be critical in incentivising widespread public participation in solutions, adoption of technologies, and shifts in behaviours focused on achieving net zero goals”

Just this week, the government has been accused of jeopardising investment in heat pumps after rumours emerged that it will preform a “screeching U-turn” on its so-called boiler tax.

The report also recommends creating an information portal or hub to act as a single point of reference to “demystify net zero choices”.

It suggests that this information hub would provide information about costs and a series of how-to guides on installing emerging technologies.

Andrew Jones, chair of the APPG, added: “There’s now a political debate about whether the UK is going too far, too fast on net zero. There’s a danger that we’ll learn the wrong lessons.

“The wrong lesson would be to stop our net zero work. The right lesson is to do more to bring the public with us in doing the right things. This way, we will better demonstrate the benefits net zero can realise in our communities and the economy.

“Policy certainty to guide us on the road to net zero is needed to leverage private sector investment; companies create skills programmes, and government and industry partnerships grow. The output is better delivery, better value, and quicker timescales – 2050 is not too far away from us.”

As revealed by Utility Week last month, a dedicated heat pump campaign body is being considered by government to expedite the uptake of the technology. In an email seen by Utility Week, a government official describes the proposed organisation as a “Smart Energy GB-style model for heat pump deployment”.

Its formation would support the government’s aim of installing 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028.

However, the government has also been warned about its “inappropriate” focus on heat pumps.

The Sustainable Energy Association’s (SEA) review of government heating policy, warned that too much focus on heat pumps is creating an “ineffective market” which undermines the UK’s decarbonisation efforts and risks excluding people living in high-rise buildings and businesses.

While the SEA review concludes that the government is “rightly focusing on electrification”, it warns against “strong rhetoric around the role of heat pumps” which gives the impression that they are the sole solution.