Heat pump grant is 'scheme for wealthy' says Andy Mayer
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The Netherlands is preparing to ban the installation of new fossil fuel-centric heating systems by 2026 to reduce carbon emissions. Dutch 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.”
However, Express.co.uk readers were against the UK following this proposal to help meet net-zero targets.
The UK Government intends to replace 26 million gas boilers with electric heat pumps by installing 600,000 pumps every year by 2028.
Currently, 85 percent of UK homes are heated by gas boilers and the International Energy Agency has said that gas boiler sales should cease after 2025.
In a poll that ran from 9am on Wednesday, May 18, to 10am on Saturday, May 21, Express.co.uk asked: “Should the UK follow The Netherlands in banning boilers and making heat pumps mandatory?”
A total of 6,109 people cast their votes with the overwhelming majority, 95 percent (5,806 people) answering “no”, heat pumps should not be mandatory in the UK.
A further five percent (273 people) said “yes” and just 30 people said they did not know.
Hundreds of comments were left below the accompanying article with readers sharing their thoughts on heat pumps.
Most readers were against the UK making heat pumps mandatory with username Hotdog 008 writing: “There’s no need for mandatory heat pumps whatsoever.”
Another, username Niagara said: “Heat pumps are not viable for millions of homes and inefficient for millions more.
“No, the Government should not insist on this inadequate technology nor the expense.”
Some expressed concern about how heat pumps would work with UK properties.
Username BritishSovereign writing: “Our houses and properties are too small for them to work.”
Username hepbub wrote: “Many older houses and some terraced houses will need to be virtually rebuilt to install a heat pump.”
And username “.” said: “The majority of UK domestic properties are certainly not airtight, triple glazed or insulated.
“Therefore heat pumps would not be effective, efficient or provide the necessary comfort heating.”
While username corkhead said: “If you have ever been to Holland you might have seen that they build to a much higher insulation level than the UK has ever done.
“Then heat pumps and very large surface area radiators are workable but retrofitting this into a 1970s to 2010 built home in the UK, it’s a nightmare.”
Others had reservations about the cost of installing and running heat pumps in comparison to central heating systems.
Heat pumps can cost up to 10 times more than the average £1,500 gas boiler and replacing 26 million would cost around £115billion.
One reader, username Robert Ward said: “No. We should NOT follow their example. Most households can neither afford it nor do they have the room or space for them.”
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Username PaulWatso said: “These heat systems are extortionately expensive to install and then leave the poor householder with even higher heating costs as the price of electricity continues to rise further.”
And username uncivilservant wrote: “No it should not, if the Government cannot convince people to adopt these things of their own free will, then clearly they are not in the interests of the people concerned.”
Meanwhile, username Spekybeky said: “If Boris and co are going to pay for them then please go ahead, personally, I’m sticking with what I’ve got.”
And username sined said: “If the Government want to ban our gas boilers then they should fit the bill for the replacements.
“There is nothing wrong with my boiler…WHY do I want to buy something that is not tried and tested and is certainly not fit for use in the UK.”
Source: Read Full Article
