Thanks for posting Morgan. This has been all over the BBC today – I have to say that the £5,000 is not a massive incentive for skeptics. 

There is so much hostility to heat pumps following this, in the online papers' comments and other forums. A lot of misinformation out there.   

@editor, I don't think it's really aimed at sceptics, more a nudge to people who might do it anyway.  The theory is that it will stimulate the industry to be cheaper, more responsive, have better designs, etc., a bit like the EV grants have done for that industry. 

If I were being a sceptic, I might say it will incentivise existing suppliers to raise their prices and/or attract cowboys using cheap unbranded hardware. I hope not though...   

@kev-m Hi Kev,

I suppose that I am what you would call an old skeptic. I noticed that Anne-Marie in the video claimed that she had done her bit by getting a Hydrogen ready gas boiler installed. So she is the one who has pushed up the price of gas and hence electric!!!!!

The £5000 incentive may encourage people in smaller properties to install ASHP's, but I doubt that it will have too much effect on prices. The money would probably be better spent on providing better insulation in many more properties than fitting ASHP's in fewer properties. As I have said repeatedly, if you don't need the energy in the first place then it is a win-win all round.

At the moment there is insufficient renewable energy being generated to meet present demand, so increasing demand for electricity is only going to make matters worse. Even now, quite often more than 50% of demand is being supplied by burning gas and even coal.

For me, the governments priorities should be to insulate all homes as much as possible, then encourage more renewable generation of both electrical energy and heat energy until the country is as self sufficient as possible and then encourage the adoption of heat pumps or Hydrogen boilers. 

@morgan, how is your installation going?  Are you up and running yet?

Posted by: @kev-m

@morgan, how is your installation going?  Are you up and running yet?

@kev-m

Not up and running yet.  Long story which I shall post here soon.  Not entirely impressed but getting there.

@kev-m 

I have posted here:

https://renewableheatinghub.co.uk/forums/renewable-heating-air-source-heap-pumps-ashps/my-ashp-installation/paged/6#post-2530

Not the replacement for RHI but  a continuation of  ECO 1-3 that's been going for some years, where suppliers are obliged to improve the energy efficiency of some their customers by charging a levy on their prices. It's aimed at those on means tested benefits.

Some interesting snippets, here (my bold)

"The RHI will close to new applications as scheduled, at the end of March 2022, but support for domestic renewable heating will continue under the Clean Heat Grant (CHG) and Home Upgrade Grant. Both schemes will focus support to off-gas grid homes."   

-ECO 4 is proposing not allowing any money to be spent on oil or LPG heating systems.  Heat pumps, including A2A, are encouraged. 
-They are considering whether it's possible to load all of the cost of ECO4 onto gas bills.  
-Any new wet CH systems should, if possible, be 'low temperature', which is defined at 55 degrees

Maybe some pointers as to where the Clean Heat Grant (CHG) and Home Upgrade Grant are heading?