Heating industry leaders expect energy and Net Zero to be front and centre of new government policy, a conference heard this week.
Speakers at the ‘Long Term Future of Heating and Hot Water: Insights and Networking event’ shared their views on the potential role for renewable heating technologies. The gathering was organised by The Heating and Hot water Industry Council (HHIC).
They included Jeff House, chair of the HHIC policy group, who said the association had been responding to a “plethora” of government consultations.
Carbon budgets towards the 2050 Net Zero target were, he explained, moving further into the phase of making alterations for homes and businesses “behind the meter”. The King’s Speech in July had comprised 40 Bills relating to energy and Net Zero, with initiatives including Great British Energy headed up by new energy secretary Ed Miliband.
All this was providing HHIC with the opportunity to represent member views on the hot water storage, low temperature heating, incentives for heat pumps and hybrids, and reducing the spark gap.
“As always when there is a change in government the first few months are very important, so we need to be having these conversations now.” Jeff said. “Let’s have a collective voice and let’s be heard.”
During this week’s event, The HHIC also released the paper ‘Heating Up to Net Zero: Placing together the Sustainable Future’.
“There is not a single ‘silver bullet’ that will take us to net zero. Each of the recommendations we are making should not be viewed in isolation, but together, as a complete methodology,” HHIC director Stewart Clements said in the paper.
Also speaking at the event, Charlotte Lee, chief executive of the Heat Pump Association (HPA), said the change in government was “both an opportunity and a challenge” for the green energy transition. Latest figures showed there had been a 40% increase in heat pump sales during the first half of 2024, compared to the prior year period – with training rates also on track to meet ambitious government targets, according to the HPA.