Boris Johnson discusses introduction of heat pumps to UK homes
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The Netherlands is the next EU country to mandate heat pumps in a bid to reduce carbon emissions. Minister for Housing Hugo de Jonge said: “The urgency of sustainability is great, and the pace must be increased. It is also better for everyone’s wallet if we use less natural gas.
He added: “That is why the cabinet wants the hybrid heat pump to become the standard from 2026 when the central heating boiler needs to be replaced.”
Like plans in Germany to introduce hybrid heat pumps as early as 2024, the Dutch government supports the efficiency of hybrid heat pumps which run on electricity for most of the year.
The Dutch government announced in a press release that a hybrid pump “leads to an average of 60 percent saving on natural gas consumption”.
The mandate will be supported by the Dutch government subsidising the purchase of such pumps.
They said: “Up to and including 2030, the cabinet has reserved €150million (£127million) per year to continue to support homeowners with the purchase of a (hybrid) heat pump. In addition, there is financing through the National Heat Fund.”
Secretary-general at the European Heat Pump Alliance, Thomas Nowak, said the Dutch Government’s announcement is “the right step at the right time”.
The UK Government aims to replace 26 million gas boilers with electric heat pumps with the intention of installing 600,000 pumps every year by 2028.
The International Energy Agency has said that gas boiler sales should cease after 2025, if the UK is to hit its net-zero target.
And the Climate Change Committee claim the most “balanced” pathway to net-zero has the majority of homes utilising heat pumps by 2050.
Heat pumps can cost up to 10 times the average £1,500 charge for a new gas boiler and replacing 26 million would cost around £115billion.
Currently, 85 percent of UK homes are heated by gas boilers, with 1.5 million installed each year, more than any country in Europe.
So what do YOU think? Should the UK follow The Netherlands in banning boilers and making heat pumps mandatory? Vote in our poll and leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
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