Heat pumps are ready to meet emission targets

UK: Heat pumps are ready and available now to meet the UK’s emission reduction targets, the Heat Pump Association (HPA) has told a government inquiry into emissions reductions. 

The HPA was recently invited to give evidence to the UK government’s Science and Technologies Committee as part of its inquiry into Technologies for meeting Clean Growth emissions reduction targets.

HPA consultant Graham Hazell attended the session on behalf of the HPA at the Palace of Westminster alongside David Weatherall, head of policy at the Energy Saving Trust, Jenny Holland, senior public affairs and policy specialist for the UK Green Building Council, and Sam French of the Decarbonised Gas Alliance.

During the session, led by committee chair Norman Lamb MP, the committee explored the options for decarbonising the UK’s road transport and domestic heat sectors, including energy efficiency measures. The Committee considered potential long term scenarios that could meet the UK’s emissions reductions targets as well as the actions the Government should be taking now to enable the UK to determine and pursue the optimum routes to these future scenarios.

The HPA stressed the importance of the electrical grid carbon factor and its impact on the uptake of heat pumps. 

Graham Wright, chairman of the HPA, commented: “While many proposed low carbon heating technologies are in the early development stage, heat pumps are ready and available now and do not need the huge investment being asked for from other technologies, such as hydrogen. Bio heating oil is currently a concept rather than a reality. We look forward to seeing the findings of the Committee’s report.”