Boilers and Heating News: page 7
- April 2023
Simply Certification gains UKAS accreditation for MCS assessments
Simply Certification has become an MCS contractor certification body after gaining UKAS accreditation in April, widening the choice of assessors for small-scale renewable installations across the UK.
- March 2023
Warmer Homes Scotland began using revised eligibility criteria
Warmer Homes Scotland moved to revised eligibility criteria in April 2023, after the first phase of applications closed on 31 March 2023 with referrals paused until October.
Government releases consultation on clean heat market mechanism
The government has opened a consultation on a clean heat market mechanism, alongside a Boiler Upgrade Scheme extension to 2028 and £30 million for heat pump manufacturing.
Cadent and British Gas offer all Whitby residents a choice to opt in or out of Hydrogen Village trial
Cadent and British Gas have written to all 2,000 residents in the proposed Whitby Hydrogen Village offering each household a choice to opt in to hydrogen heating or stay on natural gas.
Oxfordshire awarded £6.417m under HUG2 to retrofit at least 310 off-gas homes
Oxfordshire County Council has been awarded £6.417 million in the second phase of the Home Upgrade Grant to retrofit at least 310 homes that are not heated by mains gas.
Coalition writes to Housing Minister seeking no new gas grid connections under Future Homes Standard
More than 40 organisations have written to the UK Housing Minister asking for confirmation that the Future Homes Standard will not permit new gas grid connections in newly built homes.
Industry responds to Spring Budget 2023
Heating industry bodies gave mixed reactions to the Spring Budget, welcoming a three-month extension of the £2,500 energy price cap but criticising the absence of long-term efficiency measures.
Mitsubishi Electric launches new Pre-Plumbed Cylinder range
Mitsubishi Electric has launched a revised range of unvented pre-plumbed hot water cylinders in eight standard and slimline variants, sized from 150L to 300L, to pair with its residential heat pumps.
Government announces over £14 million to accelerate low carbon heating rollout
The government has announced more than £14 million for low carbon heating, with £9.7 million for four Heat Pump Ready projects and a £5 million grant to train 10,000 installers.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme extended until 2028
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has been extended by three years to 2028, with extra funding for each year after 2025, but no budget level has yet been set for the extended scheme.
Government consultation published on boiler standards, hydrogen-ready boilers and hybrids
A government consultation on minimum boiler standards, a 2026 mandate for hydrogen-ready gas boilers and the role of boiler-heat pump hybrids has been published, with responses due by 21 March 2023.
- February 2023
Government announces online portal for Alternative Fuel Payment claims
Heating oil customers who missed the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment through their electricity account will be able to claim it through a government online portal running by 6 March 2023.
Study finds green hydrogen heating two to three times more expensive than heat pumps in Europe
An ETH Zürich study published in Energy Conversion and Management finds that heating homes with green hydrogen would cost roughly two to three times more than using electric heat pumps across the EU and UK.
NRLA backs Money Saving Boiler Challenge as 2.5m renters may be missing out on energy savings
The National Residential Landlords Association has partnered with Nesta's Money Saving Boiler Challenge, as research suggests more than 2.5 million private rented households may be missing out on savings of around £112 a year.
£200 Alternative Fuel Payments to off-gas-grid households begin
Households across Great Britain that do not use mains gas for heating began receiving £200 Alternative Fuel Payments automatically as credits on their electricity bills from 6 February 2023.
Cadent publishes cost comparison of heat pump and hydrogen heating
Cadent has published a cost comparison arguing that decarbonising home heating is not a straight choice between heat pumps and hydrogen, and that hydrogen could be cheaper for some homes.
New boiler efficiency standards took effect in Scotland
Boiler efficiency standards in Scotland rose from February 2023, requiring 92% efficiency for condensing standard or combination gas boilers and lower minimums for oil models.
Lords committee finds low grant funding holds back Boiler Upgrade Scheme uptake
A Lords committee inquiry into the Boiler Upgrade Scheme found low grant funding was one of the main factors holding back heat pump uptake and recommended raising the grant level.
Viessmann extends standard Vitodens boiler warranty to seven years
Viessmann UK has raised the standard warranty on its entire Vitodens residential boiler range to seven years, with longer cover of 10 or 12 years available to buy.
- January 2023
Boiler Upgrade Scheme open to England and Wales applicants
Householders in England and Wales can apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, a non-means-tested grant of £5,000 towards an air source heat pump or £6,000 towards a ground source heat pump.
Government opens consultation on improving boiler standards and efficiency
The government has opened a consultation on improving boiler standards and efficiency, covering minimum standards, a hydrogen-ready mandate for new gas boilers from 2026 and boiler-heat pump hybrids.
YouGov survey shows strong public support for renewables in new-build homes
A YouGov survey of 1,722 UK adults found 80% support for solar panels as standard on new-build homes, 66% for battery storage and 60% for heat pumps, ahead of a Government consultation on the Future Homes Standard.
Economy 7 electricity tariffs rise by an average of 7.6%
Electricity-only Economy 7 customers saw average annual bills rise by £116 from 1 January 2023, a 7.6% increase driven largely by EDF and Scottish Power raising Economy 7 rates.
Future Homes Standard draft publication expected in 2023
The government has accelerated work on the Future Homes Standard, with draft publication now expected in 2023 as part of a two-stage tightening of building rules.
Redrow announces all upcoming developments will feature air source heat pumps
Redrow announced in January 2023 that all its upcoming developments would feature air source heat pumps, two years ahead of the Future Homes Standard deadline.
- December 2022
Electrification of Heat project releases latest insights on installation challenges and consumer barriers
The Electrification of Heat demonstration project has reported that 47 per cent of participants who declined a heat pump cited disruption, with installation averaging £14,800 per property.
Amazon removes two heater products including one over safety concerns
Amazon says it removed two plug-in heater products in December 2022, one over safety concerns, after Which? testing found mini heaters that failed UK electrical safety rules.
Government issued flow temperature guidance
The government issued guidance in December 2022 on lowering combi boiler flow temperature, after Which? had already been encouraging the practice before energy bills rose sharply in October 2022.
Government report finds hydrogen's role in home heating likely limited
A December 2022 government report concluded that hydrogen's role in home heating looks likely to be limited rather than widespread, and that its deployment is unlikely to prove economically viable by the 2026 decision point.
- November 2022
Rinnai launches electric Infinit-E hot water cylinder range
Rinnai has put its Infinit-E electric hot water cylinders on sale, a stainless steel range that adds an electrical option to a manufacturer known mainly for gas fired water heaters.