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across heating engineers Britain People are being urged to take up a government-funded heat pump offer to install in their own homes, as part of efforts to roll out the clean technology.
Research And innovation firm Nesta is running a “Start at Home” initiative to provide heating engineers with a funded heat pump and training to install it, so they can learn the ropes before fitting the technology to customers.
The initiative follows a pilot scheme by Nesta that supported heating engineers to install their first heat pump in their home, boosting their technical knowledge, understanding of living with technology and confidence in promoting them to customers.
Large-scale deployment of clean electric-powered heat pumps is key to replacing the widespread use of gas boilers in homes to reduce carbon emissions as part of targets to cut greenhouse gases to “net zero” by 2050, experts have warned.
This means installing round 450,000 heat pumps a year in existing homes by 2030, with more than 38,000 installers trained and required to have the confidence to install heat pumps, Nesta said.
The organization said heat pumps were more efficient than gas boilers, potentially reducing energy bills, and requiring less maintenance and lasting longer, keeping homes warmer for years.
But Nesta pointed to research by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) which suggested only 27% of newly trained installers went on to complete an installation within a year, partly due to a lack of confidence in the technology and the process of putting it into place.
That’s why the Start at Home scheme is being rolled out with partners England, wales And scotlandProviding heat engineers with heat pumps for their own homes and expert support, and putting them on the path to the accreditation required to install the technology for customers under government schemes.
Madeleine Gabriel, Nesta’s Director of Sustainable Futures, said: “As more and more households look to switch off their home heating, it will be all hands at the pump – and we want to help ensure that the UK heating workforce is ready to respond.
“Although a lot of heating engineers are curious about heat pumps, many rarely get a chance to see one, let alone install one.
“The ‘Start at Home’ scheme changes that by starting where it makes the most sense – at home.
“Our message to all heating engineers is simple: secure your future by getting yourself hands-on with technology along with installation.”
Eric Macrae, a heating engineer who took part in the pilot, which ran across Scotland, said: “I am now confident that I have the experience of having one running in my property, 24/7.
“Instead of giving people a spiel, I can now speak from personal experience of using it myself.
“It’s giving me an extra edge, and I feel like I can emphasize more advantages than before.”