Heat Pumps Today

° More than 500 signed up to STIEBEL ELTRON training programme following significant investment ° 170 have so far completed STIEBEL ELTRON training programme ° 100 percent of trainees would recommend course Hundreds have signed up to STIEBEL ELTRON UK’s training courses following the company’s £350,000 investment in a new centre designed to supercharge Britain’s heat pump market. Since the company began its investment last year, more than 500 trainee heat pump installers have signed up to the leading supplier of sustainable heating technology’s training programme, with some 170 having completed either the in- person or online courses. Out of those to complete the course, 91 percent rated the content as extremely high, with 94 percent ranking the trainers as excellent, and 100 percent saying they would recommend it. As demand for heat pump installers grows, STIEBEL ELTRON UK is currently set to deliver some 1,200 qualified engineers throughout 2023, almost half of the 3,000 which are currently available. With the Government aiming to deliver the installation of 600,000 heat pumps annually by 2028, the increase in installers to fit them is a welcome boost to the market. It is estimated that to reach this target the number of UK heat pump installers would need to increase exponentially to 27,000. Recognising a glaring gap to meet demand, STIEBEL ELTRON UK set about creating a training programme at its Bromborough headquarters which would cater for new-to-industry trainees and act as a viable tool to help the country’s 120,000 gas boiler installers transition towards heat pumps. Accommodating 16 professionals- to-be at any given time, the centre features the latest industry technology, accommodating a range of ground and air source heat pumps which vary in size and shape, and are used in different situations such as in commercial settings, houses, or flats. With the training course offering one and two-day programmes, depending on experience, attendees are introduced to the world of heat pumps, covering STIEBEL ELTRON UK’s products, their installation, maintenance, and decommissioning. The practical elements of the course ensure trainees can put their skills to the test with valuable hands-on- experience, leaving them well equipped when venturing out on their heat pump journey. For those unable to attend in person, STIEBEL ELTRON UK created an online training course, Heat Pump Pass, which is designed to give trainees a basic understanding of how heat pumps work and key considerations when carrying out an installation. www.stiebel-eltron.co.uk www.acrjournal.uk/heat-pumps Hundreds flock to STIEBEL ELTRON’s training following investment in new facility 29 T R A I N I N G N E W S Installers urged to grasp the opportunity as campaign launches to close the heat pump skills gap Target of 30,000 certified installers by 2028 set at launch of the first Energy Efficiency Centre A campaign to address a lack of certified heat pump installers in the UK has been launched with installers told there is a huge opportunity ahead. Energy Efficiency at City Plumbing, a national heating and plumbing merchant, is behind the campaign, supported by Energy Saving Trust and GTEC Training. It aims to address a lack of installers qualified to install heat pumps, which are crucial to the country’s ambition to decarbonise home heating in the drive for Net Zero. At last count there were 1,500 MCS certified heat pump installers in the country, compared to 135,000 trained gas engineers. Energy Efficiency at City Plumbing has partnered with GTEC Training to offer heat pumps training and is also opening its new Centre to the public. The campaign has already garnered support from Energy Saving Trust, an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency. A white paper analysing the need for more certified heat pump installers also has been published to support the campaign can be found by visiting: eecityplumbing.co.uk/blog/the-age-of-the- heat-pump-is-here Left to right in both: Adam Foy (Chief Commercial Officer – Highbourne Group), Dave Evans (CEO – Highbourne Group) and Hemal Morjaria (Managing Director, Energy Efficiency at City Plumbing)