Lord Callanan
Energy minister Lord Callanan has accused vested interests of spreading misinformation about heat pumps.
Speaking on The Climate Show on Sky News, Lord Callanan said: ‘A lot of the information is nonsensical. Some people with vested interests are funding campaigns of misinformation.’
He cited the public being told that UK temperatures are too low for heat pumps to work effectively when the highest number of installations in Europe is in Norway.
Lord Callanan said: ‘It’s clear the majority of decarbonisation will be through electrification. That will be the primary means of heating our homes in the future.’
However, he added that the transition from gas will not happen overnight: ‘It will roll out over years and decades. We will
still be using gas predominantly for 10 to
15 years.
‘We’ve managed transitions in our fuel mix before. I’m sure we can manage it again.’
Lord Callanan said heat pump prices were falling and applications to the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme had more than doubled since the grant was increased from £5,000 to £7,500. Manufacturers are also stimulating demand with cashback deals. Last month, Worcester Bosch announced a Clean Heat Cashback Pledge, giving homeowners and landlords £2,500 towards a Bosch heat pump from 1 April 2024.
Lord Callanan’s remarks followed a joint Department for Energy Security and Net Zero/International Energy Agency heat pump symposium last month, when the latest research was shared with leading experts.
- Twelve projects that aim to provide financing for home energy funding have been given £16m by the government through the Green Home Finance Accelerator.
