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Media bias towards to air source heat pumps

Well & Truly Off The Grid

Last Post by Flowboy 4 years ago

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Mars

(@editor)

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Joined: 5 years ago

Posts: 3786

Topic starter 07/01/2022 9:33 pm

This topic is going to interest me and I'd love to hear what your perceptions are. Heat pumps have received a lot of attention in the media (TV, radio and online) in the past 9-10 months. What has your general perception of the media been relating to heat pumps – are they for or against it.

Not to slant any answers, Kirsten and I were invited to talk about our air source heat pump experience on a BBC 4 radio programme called You and Yours today. They prerecorded and edited the interview, and despite us speaking to the producer yesterday to get a feel for the piece, which we were assured would be 'neutral', the presenter was not convinced about heat pumps, and our interview was brutally hacked and edited. Take a listen if you'd like -it's only about 3-4 minutes long.

When we stated that our heat pump was able to maintain temperatures in our property at 21C the presenter said (and this was edited out) that we should turn our stats down to 17C like the rest of the UK.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00132xy

Our interview, along with E.ON's government initiative rolling out heat pumps on a trial in Newcastle (which is very interesting) are kick off the show.

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Prunus

(@prunus)

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Joined: 5 years ago

Posts: 64

07/01/2022 10:38 pm

The interviewer sounds like she wants to be Jeremy Paxman, interrupting and not letting the interviewees speak. But that seems to be her style - listening to some of the other interviews (eg the online clothes shopping piece) they suffer from the same. It could also be down to the edit - the pieces seem very short for what they are trying to cover.

On heat pumps the interviewer does come across as sceptical - but it does talks about some of the issues rather than just the rants I've seen elsewhere. To be honest I don't think 4 minutes is enough to cover anything at all, especially something which is more technical than, say, the clothing returns piece.

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Kev M

(@kev-m)

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Posts: 1276

07/01/2022 10:52 pm

I agree the coverage is very negative. Expensive, lots of work needed, new radiators, don't work when it's cold. Lots of mention of "ripping out" boilers and radiators. The You and Yours article is along the same lines. I'm sure you told them the good points but they certainly didn't mention many of them. The impression given was that you spent £16k, it took ages to get it to work properly and it needs an oil boiler to help it out when it's cold!

Of course there are negatives with ASHPs but a bit of balance would be helpful.

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Alec Morrow

(@alec-morrow)

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Joined: 4 years ago

Posts: 216

08/01/2022 12:04 pm

@kev-m unfortunately the heating industry has lost control of the narrative around efficient and optimised use of energy.

does anyone seriously believe similar issues that we have in the U.K. with heat pumps exist in Norway, Germany, Denmark etc

media commentators need to be a bit less parochial and start from the point that the technology is good and proven and if there are issues it’s from government guidance and the sales agents in the UK

Professional installer

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Kev M

(@kev-m)

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Posts: 1276

08/01/2022 2:31 pm

@alec-morrow

I agree about the media but reasoned, logical arguments don't, in its view, get attention/sell papers/ attract clicks. Sensationalist headlines do.

The heating industry = the gas boiler industry in the UK. And gas has been historically so cheap that efficiency hasn't mattered. What's another few kWh when they only cost 2p? All they seem to want to do is sell you a new combi boiler and a worthless service plan.

Imagine if the heating industry had move forward like the automotive one.

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Flowboy

(@flowboy)

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Joined: 4 years ago

Posts: 7

08/01/2022 8:17 pm

@editor I heard the same prog & it is always too short to cover anything in any detail. I wrote a quick email but the article finished before I even managed to press send. I mostly find it too frustrating to listen to interesting topics that deserve more in-depth discussion, zipped through in a few minutes.

Funnily re. your 21 degrees; in another thread I glanced at, someone is despairing at their electricity costs - running at 22 degs. (although possibly also at night which seems insane to me!). For the presenter to make such a comment she would have to know a lot about your particular set up - insulation levels, property size, location etc. which of course she can't assume, but I don't mind her being a bit cheeky. Hopefully they will ask you again & you can refuse on the grounds that their programme is a waste of time!

A large flat with UFH I've been working in, is very minimalist, has huge Victorian single glazed windows, no curtains, large drafts round the front door & one window often open. Their stats are set at 21 degs all day long, they walk around in T shirts in the winter & they keep turning the boiler up. I dread to think what their bills are! Ideal people to be told to turn their heating down, put on a wooly & get some bloody (insulated) curtains!

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