‘Inappropriate’ heat pump rhetoric undermines decarbonisation

An “inappropriate” 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.

That is the conclusion of the Sustainable Energy Association’s (SEA) review of government heating policy, which advocates for a “technology-agnostic approach” to the decarbonisation of heat.

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.

It adds: “Many businesses and consumers are worried by the government’s approach to decarbonisation, as the only solution they are told exists is ASHPs [air source heat pumps].

“However, when it comes to actual retrofit delivery across all buildings, a blanket solution of ASHPs for decarbonising heat is not appropriate, especially for delivering the best possible outcomes from the transition.

“In fact, it would be more appropriate to deliver ASHPs at least in combination with an effective use of fabric measures, considering the wider building and energy system and the technologies that can deliver better outcomes there (smart controls, solar, smart thermal storage, WWHR, ventilation, etc.), and the needs and wants of the consumer.”

In particular, the SEA report – Policy barriers and solutions to a technology-agnostic approach – states that the messaging around the decarbonisation of heat focusses too heavily on traditional domestic homes.

It adds that high-rise domestic dwellings and non-domestic buildings “are all too often deprioritised”.

“This creates an overshadowing effect across the nearly two million non-domestic buildings in the UK, whereby the focus on technologies for transitioning are seen as chiefly hydronic heat pumps for homes,” the report adds.

“The language and discussion also used around building decarbonisation has become excluding of high-rise domestic and non-domestic buildings, and usually revolves around home decarbonisation.

“This is inappropriate, as not only are the building uses and requirements very different from domestic premises, but the range of useful technologies is also very different.”

Consequently, the SEA warns that an over-focus on heat pumps “may turn people away […] and leave a lasting negative impression of low-carbon heating”.

Instead of the government’s proposed tool for checking whether a home is suitable for a heat pump, the SEA calls for the creation of a tool for assessing a range of applicable low-carbon heating solutions, to be built into EPCs or a Building Renovation Passport.

The group also repeats its call for the government to remove the target for installing 600,000 heat pumps by 2028. The SEA wants the government to focus on a target for all low-carbon technologies, number of retrofits, or EPC rated properties.

The lobby group also suggests that the uptake of heat pumps will be hindered, without reforms to rebalance electricity and gas costs.

It warns that the budgets for the existing and future rounds of the boiler upgrade scheme (BUS) will “fail to be used entirely” unless wholesale reform of the market is prioritised.

It adds that as reforms are unlikely to be implemented in the coming year, interim solutions should be put in place such as novel tariffs and rebates for low-carbon technologies.

Speaking at the launch of the report SNP MP Alan Brown, who chair the Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group (PRASEG), commented: “I welcome the report and the recommendations. It is critical that there is long-term, joined-up approach to retrofit policies, backed by funding and incentives to deliver low carbon technologies and energy efficiency measures.

“Access to free independent advice for consumers is critical too, and the UK Government should consider this and the example of Energy Advice Scotland. It is also clear that policy costs cannot be continually added to electricity bills, and a more progressive funding model provided. I welcome the calls for the decoupling of gas and electricity prices.”

In response, the government’s clean heat lead Matthew Aylott said that government is working on several policy and legislative amendments to move towards a more technologically-agnostic approach.

This includes the launch of a consultation on price rebalancing in the spring, as well as a review of planning rules to extend tax breaks to a greater number of low carbon technologies.