Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to encourage the installation of smart-enabled hot water cylinders.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government intends to introduce a smart mandate, which will require heat pumps, storage heaters and heat batteries to have smart functionality, from the mid 2020s. The Government is also considering whether to extend the scope of the mandate to include other appliances, such as hot water cylinders.
The Government is also seeking to improve standards regarding hot water cylinder efficiency and has sought feedback on possible options for achieving this in the recent consultation “Improving Boiler Standards and Efficiency.”
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the report from the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council entitled Skills, Training and the Future of Heat, published in January 2023, whether his Department has conducted any further research into the conclusion that the industry will need 150,000 trained installers to meet this Government target of 600,000 heat pumps by 2028.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government notes that different industry organisations have varying estimates for the number of heat pump installers needed by 2028, with the Heat Pump Association estimating this to be 33,700. The Government is taking steps to ensure that there will be sufficient installers to meet demand through schemes such as the Heat Training Grant as well as the Low Carbon Heating Technician Apprenticeship.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made as to the adequacy of the performance of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme since its introduction.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Up to the end of April 2023 the Boiler Upgrade Scheme received 17,001 voucher applications and paid out on 10,847 to the cost of £54.5 million.
Industry has reacted positively to the scheme during its first year, with suppliers developing competitive offers alongside the grant.
Government announced that the BUS will be extended until 2028, with an additional budget allocation for each year.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the number and proportion of homes that will be able to simultaneously use two electric car chargers and a heat pump.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has not made such an estimate, which would depend on variables such as size of heat pump, power of electric vehicle charge point and existing supply capacity. Domestic supplies can be upgraded if required and the use of smart energy management solutions such as electric vehicle smart charging can also help reduce the maximum demand of a property to facilitate the installation, and use, of low carbon technologies.