UK heat pump installations rise again

UK: The number of heat pump installations rose again in 2023 with more than 37,000 air-source and ground/water-source installations, up from 30,000 in 2022.

According to new figures from standards organisation MCS, heat pumps have shown sustained year-on-year growth in the UK over the last six years. Cumulative UK certified installations figures now number over 200,000 since 2008. 

Following the increase in the boiler upgrade scheme (BUS) in October to £7,500, average weekly applications for BUS vouchers soared from 331 to 1,172.

To date, more than 17,500 BUS vouchers are said to have been issued with a value of over £90m.

Charlotte Lee, CEO of the Heat Pump Association welcomed the growing deployment in the UK but said “Whilst we are pleased that the BUS grant has been increased, we would encourage the government to take further steps to demonstrate the national commitment to low-carbon heating. 

On the BUS grant increase, Lee also called for an increase in the overall budget to support greater heat pump deployment and to ensure it does not act as “an artificial cap” on the market. 

“Other vital policy enablers include reducing the price of electricity relative to the price of gas and supporting contractors to cover the costs of becoming certified to install heat pumps, akin to the support offered in Scotland,” she added.

In October, MCS certified its 4,000th contractor. More than 1,800 new contractors have become certified in 2023 so far, a 70% growth in the contractor base since the end of 2022. 

In fact, more contractors have joined the scheme in 2023 so far than in the previous six years of the scheme combined.