Record heat pump installation rates have helped set the UK on track for the “best year ever for renewable energy” installations, said Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).
According to the official standards body MCS-certified heat pump, solar and battery storage installations in the UK have jumped by 62% from last year.
Following a record quarter in Q1 this year with over 60,000 small scale renewable installations, the average monthly heat pump installation rate for rose to a record 3,000 this year with 17,920 heat pumps installed in the first six months of this year.
If these small renewable technology installation rates are sustained the MCS has stated that analysts forecast nearly a quarter of a million households having renewable technologies installed by the close of this year.
This growth means that the UK now has a total small-scale renewable installed capacity of 4GW.
The MCS identified the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), which offers upfront capital grants from those looking to switch to low-carbon heating, for the steady growth of heat pump installations.
According to BUS monthly statistics however, only 17,360 vouchers out of the 90,000 available have been issued between May 2022 and June 2023.
MCS has called for the government to expand the BUS and offer higher grant values and more vouchers per year.
“We are pleased to report that the UK is on track for its strongest year ever for certified small-scale renewable technology installations. The home-grown energy you invest in for your home, or your business plays an ever more crucial role in the decarbonisation of UK buildings,” said MCS CEO, Ian Rippin.
“As the cost of energy continues to grow, we are seeing more people turn to renewable technology to generate their own energy and heat at home. We need to continue to push this expansion to meet our shared national ambitions to reach net zero by 2050. More consumers have the confidence to invest in small-scale renewables now than ever, but we have to make that transition even easier.
“That is why MCS is currently considering feedback from contractors, consumers, and industry experts on proposals to redevelop the scheme and remove some of the complexity in the sector. We continue to grow year-on-year and it is important that we keep our eye on the future and take time to reassess how we support the industry as that progress continues.”
Despite promising growth the MCS identified the lack of qualified, skilled installers available to meet demand as “one of the biggest barriers to overcome.”
According to MCS, there are 1,500 heat pump installation companies in the UK, with over 850 new contractors becoming MCS-certified in 2023 so far.
However to reach the government’s 600,000 heat pumps installed a year target, it is estimated that 50,000 workers will be required. To meet this MCS has called for further investment in skills and training to build the appropriate workforce.
“The gas crisis jeopardising the UK’s security of supply and causing bills to rocket over the last year has clearly left its mark on the British public, who are quickly turning to net zero technologies like solar and heat pumps to gain energy independence,” said Jess Ralston, head of energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU).
“As these technologies get more commonplace and likely cheaper, this trend is only going to grow, despite some unclear messaging and a lack of long term policy certainty around the Boiler Upgrade Scheme for heat pumps, for example. Delivering a stable plan for 2030 and beyond plus incentives for household technologies can help get the UK to be less reliant on gas, meaning that we have to import less from abroad as the North Sea continues to decline, and shielding ourselves from any future gas crises.”
This story was originally published on our sister site, Solar Power Portal, the full article can be found here.