Heat Pumps news from 2024
92 stories, newest first
- December 2024
MCS publishes updated MCS 031 heat pump standard and Excel tool
MCS has published Issue 4.0 of its heat pump pre-sale performance standard, replacing the SCoP-based estimate with a method using system type, specific heat loss and a Heat Emitter Guide lookup table.
Dimplex launches EDL200 and EDL270 hot water heat pumps
Dimplex has launched the EDL200 and EDL270 hot water heat pumps, aimed at smaller electrically heated homes and offered as a lower carbon alternative to electric immersion heaters.
MCS publishes updated MIS 3005-D heat pump design standard
MCS has published an updated MIS 3005-D heat pump design standard, clarifying hybrid system compliance, defining hybrid and supplementary heat sources, and replacing the 100% heat load rule with a 55% minimum.
Heat pump installations hit record 60,000 in 2024
MCS certified contractors passed 5,250 in early 2025, the highest since the scheme began in 2008, after heat pump installations reached a record 60,000 in 2024.
Mean modelled annual running costs fall to £2,640 in 2024
Mean modelled annual running costs for Scottish households fell to £2,640 in 2024, down around 16.3% from £3,150 in 2023, as domestic fuel prices declined.
- November 2024
DESNZ publishes options assessment on raising heat pump minimum energy performance standards
DESNZ has set out proposed minimum energy performance standards for heat pumps in Great Britain, with higher seasonal space heating efficiency thresholds from 2027 and again from 2029.
Clean Heat Market Mechanism implementation confirmed from 1 April 2025
The Government has confirmed the Clean Heat Market Mechanism will be implemented from 1 April 2025, alongside Warm Homes Plan funding of about £1bn for retrofit in 2025/26.
Which? reports heat pumps can be cheapest way to heat a home with grants and specialist tariffs
Which? has reported that combining the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant with specialist heat pump tariffs can make heat pumps the cheapest way to heat a home, with savings of up to £560 a year.
MCS publishes response to MCS 020 consultation and sets out key changes to the standard
MCS has published its response to the MCS 020 consultation, confirming a split into two standards, a 37 dB(A) overall sound limit and publication of sound power levels on its Product Directory.
DESNZ announces measures to support low-carbon heating
DESNZ has added £30 million to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme this financial year, set a reformed Clean Heat Market Mechanism for 1 April 2025 and removed the one metre boundary rule for air source heat pumps in England.
Government announces Warm Homes Plan steps with boosted heat pump funding and planning reform
The government has set out the first steps of its Warm Homes Plan, boosting Boiler Upgrade Scheme funding, removing the one metre heat pump planning rule in England and reforming the Clean Heat Market Mechanism.
Cornwall Insight report models up to £650 annual savings from heat pump flexing
A Cornwall Insight model commissioned by Nesta finds heat pump owners could save up to £650 a year by moving to a time-of-use tariff and shifting heat demand away from peak times.
Nesta and CNZ trial finds remote control of heat pumps cuts peak electricity use
A Nesta and Centre for Net Zero trial found that remotely controlling heat pumps during peak periods cut heat pump electricity use by 74% and household electricity use by 32%, with most participants satisfied.
EDF and Ideal Heating launch £1,000 heat pump discount offer
EDF and Ideal Heating are offering £1,000 off Ideal air source heat pump systems to the first 100 eligible customers who sign up before 24 November 2024, with installed systems from £3,500 after the Boiler Upgrade Grant.
Nesta marks six months of Visit a Heat Pump service with over 600 visits booked
Nesta reports more than 600 bookings in the first six months of its Visit a Heat Pump service and opens the platform to installers to list their own installations.
Which? calls on government to tackle cost and other barriers to heat pump and EV switching
Which? has called on the government to remove cost, awareness and infrastructure barriers to heat pumps and electric vehicles, after its annual tracker found most homeowners consider heat pumps too expensive.
Aira unveils the Aira Indoor Unit Compact heat pump indoor unit
Aira has announced the Aira Indoor Unit Compact, a slim heat pump indoor unit measuring W40 x D25 x H72 cm, paired with a separate hot water cylinder of 150L to 300L.
Clean Heat Market Mechanism introduced
The Clean Heat Market Mechanism, which obliges heating appliance manufacturers to sell a rising proportion of heat pumps, was introduced by the Government in November 2024 in a form much weakened since 2022.
England planning rules updated to include heat pumps under permitted development
England's permitted development rules were changed in November 2024 to cover heat pumps, dropping the one metre rule and allowing units that provide cooling as well as heating.
Rules and RegulationYour Type of HomeCooling and Air Conditioning
Good Energy launches Heat Pump tariff
Good Energy has launched a fixed heat pump tariff with a 10p per kWh off-peak rate, open to all households, according to a battery tariff guide that also records the rate has since risen.
Heat Pump Optimizer X launched in the UK with tado° X range
tado° has launched a heating curve optimisation function for its app, letting households adjust heat pump settings through the Heat Pump Optimizer X, which reached the UK in November.
Ideal Heating receives first Heat Pump Investment Accelerator award
Ideal Heating has become the first recipient of a Heat Pump Investment Accelerator award, receiving over £5 million as part of a wider government package on home heating and efficiency.
tado° and Panasonic announced a strategic partnership and smart heat pump bundle
tado° and Panasonic have launched two smart features for AQUAREA heat pumps, one available now and one from November 2025, building on a partnership first announced in 2024.
- October 2024
NIBE launches 'Take the Step' heat pump consumer education campaign
NIBE Energy Systems has launched a consumer education campaign called Take the Step, aimed at addressing common heat pump concerns in the UK and generating leads for its certified installers.
425 hosts signed up to Visit a Heat Pump six months after launch
Nesta reports that 425 people had signed up to host visits to their heat pumps six months after the Visit a Heat Pump platform launched nationwide on 11 April 2024.
Secretary of State authorises Ofgem to over-allocate Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant vouchers
The Energy Secretary has authorised Ofgem to over-allocate Boiler Upgrade Scheme vouchers by up to £50 million, lifting the scheme's available total to £200 million for the financial year.
GetAHeatPump.org.uk guidance website launched
Nesta and the MCS Foundation have launched GetAHeatPump.org.uk, a non-commercial guidance site for householders, supported by Which UK? and the Energy Saving Trust.
UK Government launches heat pump campaign for England and Wales
The UK Government has launched a heat pump campaign for England and Wales, encouraging households to adopt the technology and apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Grant Aerona 290 heat pump range opens for orders
Grant UK has opened orders for its fifth generation Aerona 290 air-to-water heat pump, with 4kW, 6.5kW and 9kW models first and larger outputs due in early 2025.
Grant UK to launch QR Smart Pre-Plumbed cylinders, controller kits, installation pack and internal volumiser
Grant UK will add four QR Smart Pre-Plumbed cylinders, heat pump controller kits, an installation pack and a 50ltr internal volumiser to its renewables range from October 2024, alongside the Aerona 290 heat pump launch.
Super Cylinder v3.0 guarantee updated
Newark Cylinders has updated the guarantee on its Super Cylinder v3.0 range to five years as standard and seven years for units installed by Heat Geek Verified and Elite installers.
Tariff uplift increased BUS grant levels
Ofgem's twelfth Boiler Upgrade Scheme quarterly report confirms the grant rose to £7,500 for air and ground source heat pumps from 23 October 2023, with £189.7 million allocated in Year 3.
- September 2024
Autumn Budget increases funding for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
The Autumn Budget has increased funding for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, with the remainder of £1.8bn after fuel poverty support allocated to the grant scheme.
Panasonic and tado° announce first integrated heat pump solution
Panasonic has announced its first integrated heat pump offering with tado°, bundling Aquarea air-to-water units with tado° room controls and the Balance energy management service for selected European markets from November.
Panasonic launches Aquarea Service+ maintenance package in the UK
Panasonic has launched Aquarea Service+, a paid maintenance and monitoring package for UK homes with its heat pumps, offered in three tiers and already running in five other markets.
Grant UK announces fifth generation Aerona 290 heat pump
Grant UK has announced the Aerona 290, its fifth generation air source heat pump, using R290 refrigerant and open for orders from October 2024, with larger outputs following in early 2025.
Panasonic Aquarea M Series heat pumps with R290 available now
Panasonic has put its Aquarea M Series air-to-water heat pumps, using the natural refrigerant R290, on sale in 9, 12 and 16 kW sizes in single or three phase.
Neat Heat trial findings published showing heat batteries shift heating demand off-peak
UK Power Networks, OVO and tepeo published findings from the 18-month Neat Heat trial, reporting that heat batteries in 30 homes moved up to 95% of heating demand outside peak hours.
tado° launches PV forecasting for heat pumps and EVs
tado° has launched solar forecasting for its heat pump and EV charging services, scheduling both around predicted next-day generation from a home's own panels.
- July 2024
Halifax launches Green Living Reward cashback offer
Halifax has opened a Green Living Reward cashback offer to its mortgage customers, paying up to £2,000 for air source heat pumps and up to £1,000 for other efficiency improvements.
Intertek Shanghai announced as an MCS product certification body
Intertek Shanghai becomes the tenth MCS product certification body and the second outside Europe, certifying solar panels and heat pumps for the UK market.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant increase credited with rising heat pump take-up
The Climate Change Committee credits higher Boiler Upgrade Scheme funding and grants with a significant rise in heat pump take-up, in its 2024 progress report to Parliament.
Product safety report published for Joule ModulAir heat pump over fire risk
A government product safety report has identified a fire risk in the Joule ModulAir All E heat pump and named six affected models, with Joule contacting owners to arrange an upgrade.
Baxi heat pumps and services support 16 Passivhaus social homes in Dalbeattie
Baxi supplied air source heat pumps, cylinders, controls, training and site support for 16 Passivhaus social homes built for Loreburn Housing Association in Dalbeattie, Dumfries and Galloway.
Heat Pump Association launches consumer articles on low-carbon heating
The Heat Pump Association has published five consumer articles covering the stages of a heat pump installation, from first considerations through to owner experiences of living with one.
Get a Heat Pump campaign runs for 12 months to 2025
Nesta backed its Get a Heat Pump information website with a 12 month social media campaign across 2024 and 2025, testing TikTok and Pinterest and reporting cost and conversion findings.
Grant UK launches Aerona 290 heat pump range
Grant UK launched its fifth generation Aerona 290 air source heat pump in 2024, the first in its range to use R290 refrigerant instead of the more common R32.
Octopus introduces third off-peak period for Cosy Octopus
Octopus Energy added a third off-peak window, 10pm to 12am, to its Cosy Octopus heat pump tariff in July 2024, giving eligible households eight hours of cheaper electricity a day.
Record first half for certified heat pump installations
MCS reports 26,797 certified heat pump installations in the first half of 2024, 45 per cent more than the same period in 2023, putting the year on course for a record.
- June 2024
BESA warns of safety risks from rising use of flammable refrigerant R290
BESA has published technical bulletin TB57 warning that R290 propane, now spreading through heat pumps and air conditioning, is highly flammable and sits outside UK F-Gas rules.
Nesta publishes analysis of factors affecting heat pump cost parity with gas boilers
Nesta analysis published on 13 June 2024 quantifies how subsidies, levy rebalancing, wholesale prices, interest rates and efficiency each affect heat pump against gas boiler annual costs for a 2030 installation.
Solar PV and battery storage removed from HES Grant and Loan scheme eligibility
From 6 June 2024 the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme stopped accepting new referrals for solar PV and battery storage, ending support even when these were installed alongside a heat pump.
Freedom Heat Pumps and Baxi announce strategic partnership
Freedom Heat Pumps has chosen Baxi as a strategic distribution partner for its heat pump range, bringing together two businesses based less than two miles apart in Bamber Bridge, Lancashire.
Nesta and The MCS Foundation partnership to enhance GaHP website
Nesta and The MCS Foundation worked together in the first half of 2024 to develop and enhance the Get a Heat Pump website, after its beta launch drew more than 35,000 views in four months.
Rural uplift of £1,500 introduced for heat pump and energy efficiency grants
Home Energy Scotland has added a £1,500 rural uplift to its heat pump and energy efficiency grants, raising the maximum support for eligible rural and island homes to £9,000.
- May 2024
Scottish Government publishes planning circular 1/2024 on householder permitted development rights
The Scottish Government has published planning circular 1/2024, setting out the householder permitted development rights covering heat pumps, wind turbines, solar panels and biomass flues in Scotland.
Public Accounts Committee publishes report on decarbonising home heating
The Committee of Public Accounts says progress on heat pump installations falls short of the government's ambition of 600,000 a year by 2028, with costs and confusion holding households back.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme marks second anniversary with applications up 93% year-on-year
Applications to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme rose 93% in April 2024 compared with April 2023, as the scheme marked its second anniversary with more than £148 million paid out.
Ideal Heating introduces HP290 heat pump
Ideal Heating has announced the HP290, its first domestic air source heat pump to use R290 refrigerant, claiming a seasonal coefficient of performance rating of over 500 per cent.
Survey finds UK public favours gas over heat pumps
A YouGov survey for the Energy and Utilities Alliance has found that only 10% of people would consider a heat pump as a replacement for a gas boiler, while about half would prefer hydrogen added to the existing gas supply.
- April 2024
E3G publishes report on creating a UK heat pump mass market
E3G has published a report setting out the routes to market and financial offers it says are needed to underpin a mass market for heat pumps in the UK.
Visit a Heat Pump scheme officially launched
Nesta launched its nationwide Visit a Heat Pump service on 11 April 2024, letting householders book a visit to see a working heat pump in a nearby home before deciding on one.
EHPA publishes its annual report for 2023
The European Heat Pump Association has published its annual report for 2023, setting out what the Brussels-based industry body describes as the year's highlights, challenges and hot topics.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme applications more than doubled year on year after grant increase
Applications to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme more than doubled in April 2024 compared with April 2023, after the grant rose from £5,000 to £7,500, according to figures cited by industry.
ivie publishes Heat Pumps 101 guide
ivie has published Heat Pumps 101, the fourth and final free guide in its Future of Energy series, answering common questions about how heat pumps work and whether they suit a home.
New Welsh Government Warm Homes programme launched
A new Welsh Government Warm Homes programme began on 1 April 2024, shifting support towards low carbon measures such as heat pumps and solar panels, as Nest published its 2023-24 annual report.
- March 2024
Consultation launched on postponing Clean Heat Market Mechanism to 1 April 2025
The Government has opened a consultation on postponing the Clean Heat Market Mechanism to 1 April 2025, while confirming changes to Boiler Upgrade Scheme eligibility rules.
DESNZ publishes Boiler Upgrade Scheme consultation outcome
DESNZ has set out the outcome of its Boiler Upgrade Scheme consultation, keeping the EPC requirement but dropping the rule that loft and cavity wall insulation recommendations must be resolved first.
Nesta publishes report on future subsidies for heat pumps
Nesta has published a report on improving heat pump subsidies and welcomed the removal of an insulation condition from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, while warning that a delay to the Clean Heat Market Mechanism could unsettle the market.
Panasonic announces Big Aquarea T-CAP M Series heat pump
Panasonic has announced the Big Aquarea T-CAP M Series heat pump, offered in 20 to 30 kW sizes and scalable to 300 kW in cascade with up to 10 units connected.
HPA reports 166% increase in qualified heat pump installers
The Heat Pump Association reports that the number of people completing eligible heat pump installer training rose 166 per cent in 2023, from just under 3,000 in 2022 to close to 8,000.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme allowance increased to £7,500 per heat pump installation
MCS has said the Boiler Upgrade Scheme allowance has recently been increased to £7,500 per air source and ground or water source heat pump installation in England and Wales.
Government delays Clean Heat Market Mechanism to April 2025
The government has delayed the Clean Heat Market Mechanism, the scheme that would have fined boiler makers for missing heat pump sales targets, to a proposed April 2025 start.
Nesta heat pump suitability mapping project begins
Nesta began a project in March 2024 to map how suitable different types of heat pump are for neighbourhoods across Great Britain, aiming to build an impartial dataset for local heat planning.
- February 2024
Kensa launches Shoebox NX Ground Source Heat Pump
Kensa has launched the Shoebox NX ground source heat pump, a British-made unit it says can decarbonise heating for 60 per cent of UK homes when used in shared ground loop networks.
Two-week trial of Visit a Heat Pump ran before nationwide launch
Nesta began a two-week trial of its Visit a Heat Pump booking platform on 28 February 2024, ahead of the scheme's nationwide launch, according to the charity's later report on the service.
Nesta publishes Clean heat: coordinating the switch street by street
Nesta has published a blueprint for switching homes to low-carbon heating street by street, proposing new national and local bodies to coordinate installations alongside the existing household-led approach.
Consultation on changes to permitted development rights opened
The government consulted on changes to permitted development rights for electric vehicle charge points and air source heat pumps between 13 February and 9 April 2024, drawing 1,409 responses.
MCS opens four-week consultation on changes to MIS 3005-D heat pump design standard
MCS has opened a four-week consultation on changes to its heat pump design standard, proposing a definition of hybrid systems, removal of the 100% heat loss sizing rule and a minimum 55% peak power contribution.
NIBE introduces S1156 and S1256 ground source heat pumps
NIBE has introduced the S1156 and S1256 ground source heat pumps, adding two new models to its UK range of low-carbon heating equipment.
Addendum to NISEP 2023/25 Framework Document published
The Utility Regulator published a February 2024 addendum to the NISEP 2023/25 Framework Document, changing income eligibility, heat pump monitoring, governance and customer protections.
Heat pump installation works provision inserted
VAT law for energy-saving materials was amended on 1 February 2024 so that installing ground source and water source heat pumps includes the groundworks or dredging needed for their pipework.
National delivery of Visit a Heat Pump service begins
Nesta has been running its Visit a Heat Pump service nationally since February 2024, connecting people considering a heat pump with owners willing to show them a working system.
The Renewable Technology Collective achieves MCS certification
The Renewable Technology Collective, a Scottish heat pump installer working across Angus, Tayside and Aberdeenshire, became MCS-certified for air source heat pumps in February 2024, a process its founder says took two months.
- January 2024
Council of the European Union adopts revised F-gas regulation
The Council of the European Union adopted a revised F-gas regulation on 29 January 2024, phasing down fluorinated gases used in heat pumps, air conditioners, fridges and some medicines.
MCS 020 consultation closes with 55 responses
MCS has published its response to a consultation on the MCS 020 sound standard for air source heat pumps, which closed on 26 January 2024 with 55 responses.
Grant UK launches EvoLink Hybrid System Hub
Grant UK has made the EvoLink Hybrid System Hub available, a wall-mounted unit that combines an Aerona³ heat pump with an existing fossil fuel boiler in one heating system.
Nesta Impact Investments invests £2 million in heat pump provider Aira
Nesta Impact Investments has put £2 million into heat pump and clean energy service Aira, as part of the company's €145 million Series B financing round announced on 16 January 2024.
Rinnai announced a new product launch programme
Rinnai has set out a launch programme running through the first quarter of 2024, covering low-GWP heat pumps, electric water heaters, hot water cylinders and plate heat exchangers.
Publication of Air Source Heat Pump Noise & Permitted Development Rights in Wales reports (phase 1 & 2)
The Welsh Government has published two reports on air source heat pump noise and permitted development rights, examining whether the current three-metre boundary rule should change.
Grant UK launches the Aerona Smart Controller
Grant UK has launched the Aerona Smart Controller, a weather compensated controller for its Aerona³ heat pump range that adds remote monitoring, app access and per-zone heating curve configuration.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant rise to £7,500 drives applications up nearly 39%
Ofgem's eighth Boiler Upgrade Scheme quarterly report shows 6,835 voucher applications between February and April 2024, after the heat pump grant rose to £7,500 in October 2023.