Although heat pump installations are up they are a fraction of what’s needed to hit targets, so are heat networks what we need?
The Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE) is urging a major push for networks. They say that in dense urban areas, heat networks offer a solution for a clean, secure heating future.
While the trade association celebrates a surge in heat pump installations, it warns that a balanced approach is essential.
Heat pumps replacing old, inefficient boilers, work, with 79% of customers satisfied with their new systems.
But these installations have predominantly occurred in larger, detached properties, leaving a gap in urban centres where heat networks could deliver greater benefits.
The ADE believes that robust support for heat networks, on par with that for heat pumps, is critical to ensuring every community enjoys the advantages of low-carbon heat.
Policy Officer at the ADE, Emily Baer, said: “By bolstering support for heat networks, we can drive innovation, create local jobs and ensure urban areas have access to sustainable heating. This approach will provide the lowest cost pathway to heat decarbonisation.”
The ADE’s call for action comes at a pivotal moment when the Government is laying down the framework for the Future Homes Standard from 2025 – a standard that will further cement the role of low-carbon heating in new builds.
The ADE insists that this momentum should be harnessed to extend funding and policy support to heat networks, boosting local economies across the nation.
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