Heat Pumps Today

www.acrjournal.uk/heat-pumps 19 T R A I N I N G Get 70% off heat pump training with HITSS The Heat Pump Installer Training and Support Scheme (HITSS) offers heating installers a voucher for up to 70% off the cost of upskilling to heat pumps, including: ° Heat pump training course and Level 3 qualification ° Associated qualification e.g. WRAS, low temp system design, energy efficiency and more ° Premier MCS support package to help you get certified ° Training locations across the UK HITSS is ideal for experienced heating installers and businesses who want to expand into the renewables sector at a greatly reduced price and work under consumer incentives, such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. All training must be completed by 31 March 2023. To find out more and apply for funding, visit: www.hitss.co.uk Climate Change (CCC) – almost as many as gas services today. Heat and Buildings Strategy in action The UK needs to reach 600,000 heat pump installations per year by 2028 to meet carbon reduction deadlines. First steps towards achieving this are underway and a plan is in place to build momentum quickly on an upwards trajectory. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) started last year as part of the Heat and Buildings Strategy, the government’s plan to incentivise consumers to install low-carbon heating systems as they come to replace old fossil fuel boilers over the next decade. The wider strategy aims to bring down the cost of heat pump technology by up to 50% by 2025 and towards parity with gas boilers by 2030. Further mechanisms under the strategy include the Future Homes Standard (FHS), legislation that will prohibit new homes from being connected to the gas grid from 2025; heat pumps are expected to meet most of this demand. The Building Regulations have already seen an uplift to Part L requiring new heating systems to be designed to operate at a maximum of 55°C (compared to 80°C under previous standards) in preparation for the FHS. The government has shown a commitment to making heat pumps work, through investment in R&D and improving technologies and manufacturing processes, while mandating manufacturers to sell a certain /equal number of heat pumps from 2024. This is a bold step that, combined with the Part L uplift, sets the bar for energy e›ciency in buildings and firmly cements the role of renewables into law. Opportunities under the BUS Research by social innovation agency, Nesta, shows that subsidies help to persuade consumers to choose heat pumps over gas boilers and therefore the BUS o©ers vouchers for £5,000 for air source heat pump (ASHP) installations and £6,000 for ground source heat pumps (GSHP), bringing ASHP installation costs closer to the cost of a new gas boiler. But it’s not just cost, consumer confidence is another key barrier for homeowners. Nesta’s research indicated that many homeowners wouldn’t choose a heat pump even if it cost less than a gas boiler. We are in the early days of the transition away from gas – a fuel that has heated over 80% of UK homes for many decades. Educating consumers is key to increasing confidence in heat pump technology. Widely used in Europe, we need more quality heat pump installations here in the UK so people can start to see evidence of their reliability and benefits. Don’t miss your chance Skilled heat pump installers are urgently required to deliver quality, sustainable heating systems that stand the test of time. Experienced gas and heating installers will make up the majority of the low-carbon workforce and the BUS provides an immediate route to market for early adopters. For those who want to test their local market and develop their skills in a low- risk environment, MCS umbrella schemes allow installers to work under an MCS certified company without becoming MCS certified themselves. Look out for schemes that o©er funding for training, locally and nationally – some of these support MCS certification too. HITSS (see box) was launched at the start of the year o©ering 70% of heat pump training, supporting qualifications and the MCS Made Easy tool. GTEC is also involved in Zero Carbon Harrogate which o©ers installers 100% funding for heat pump training. With clear and credible policies in place to scale up deployment, secure supply chains and funding to upskill installers, we could still reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net zero by 2050. Heat pumps have been shown to work well in nearly all types of home and now is the time for installers to play their part in the transition to net zero – seize the opportunities now to make the most of growth in the market. GTEC Training delivers specialist renewables training courses and qualifications. For more information, visit: https://gtec.co.uk/