Manufacturers have ordered nearly double the number of heat pumps currently on the shelves and in the warehouse in the UK to meet surging demand in 2021.
According to a new survey by the Heat Pump Association (HPA) – which represents around 95% of the heat pump manufacturing market – manufacturers have placed orders for 67,000 units for this year so far.
The boost in predicted sales follows the commitment to rollout 600,000 heat pumps into home by 2028 in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Ten Point Plan. Following this, the government’s Future Homes Standard restated the commitment, suggesting heat pumps will be the primary heating technology for new homes going forwards.
Air conditioners (Image: Todd Morris/Flickr)
In 2019, just 35,000 heat pumps were sold, and as such the predicted figures for 2021 represent significant growth in the sector. This in line with the HPA’s roadmap for net zero, which called for 72,000 pumps to be installed this year.
Phil Hurley, chair of the HPA, said that the near doubling of the market is a “substantial achievement at a time when the decarbonisation of homes and buildings is not just desired but essential” adding that the association’s members were committed to turning the forecast into a reality and “have clearly backed this up with their advanced ordering”.
“The estimation of 67,000 heat pumps in 2021 shows the confidence from members of the HPA in delivering the scale up of heat pumps that the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan necessitates. This is just the beginning of a long journey ahead but we’re off to an incredibly promising start.”
Challenges remain however, with the Environmental Audit Committee warning in December that further governmental support is needed to ensure that the rollout of heat pumps does not fail due to the cost of electricity.
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