HEAT PUMPS: THE BALANCE OF POLICY VERSUS REALITY
Rinnai Director Chris Goggin asks how the idea of heat pumps as the primary decarbonisation solution compares to the direction of the UK low carbon heating and hot water market?
Heat pumps are a huge part of the UK’s plans to lower carbon emissions, but must become more accessible and widespread. Heat pumps are a viable technology that is growing in the UK. Currently just 1% of UK homes use heat pumps as a primary source of heating and hot water, but heat pump installations are rising year on year. There have been several noteworthy policy changes attempting to close the gap between UK policy and the current low carbon heating and hot water market reality.
UK (England) heat pump regulations have been amended, with the size limit increased from 0.6m3 to 1.5m3 to allow for higher efficiency systems to be installed. The Boundary Rule has also been removed, which previously demanded that heat pumps must be 1 metre from the boundary of the property. Detached homes can also install up to two heat pumps without the need for planning permission. Domestic heat pumps will now have to be ‘smart-ready’, so they can select the cheapest energy tariff at any given moment.
A final regulatory shift centres on cooling systems; air-to-air heat pumps that offer both heating and cooling are now included under permitted development, on the provision that cooling is not the sole purpose.
Commercial newbuilds must now include ultra-efficient, low-carbon heating systems like heat pumps as opposed to fossil fuel systems as part of the Future Building Standard. Modern commercial heating design increasingly favours lower flow temperatures, often around 55°C or below, where practical.
F-Gas regulations have been updated, phasing out commercial heat pumps that include harmful refrigerants during operation. Heat pump designers will now have to use eco-friendly refrigerants such as R290 and R32. Non-domestic and community buildings have been awarded beneficial permitting development rights. It is now easier to install ground or water source heat pumps without confirming full local authority approval. But air source heat pumps are still under local power authorisation and must comply with noise lowering standards.
Significant practical challenges still exist. Electrical infrastructure is one of the largest barriers to large-scale heat pump deployment. Many existing buildings were not designed for high levels of electrification and upgrading incoming electrical supplies can involve substantial costs and delays.
While heat pumps will undoubtedly play an increasingly important role, they may not be the ideal solution for every building. In many applications, hybrid systems may provide a more practical route to carbon reduction while balancing affordability, resilience and operational requirements. Five years ago, the gap between policy and reality in terms of UK heat pump ownership was thoroughly discernible, but the trends now appear positive. Heat pumps are a viable and efficient form of heating and hot water provision. There is a current harmony between policy and reality that is beginning to provide positive results and upwards momentum in all UK heat pump consumer trends. Heat pumps are an important part of the UK energy and appliance future. The future is unlikely to be defined by a single technology. Instead, success will come from applying the right solution to the right building at the right time. www.rinnai-uk.co.uk