Renewable energy target 70% from heat pumps
August 1st 2008

The most sensible way to introduce renewable energy into existing buildings will be heat pumps, says the government's Renewables Advisory Board (RAB).

The '2020 Vision' report looks at how the target of 15% of total UK energy use, can be drawn from renewable sources by 2020.Of that 15% about a fifth of the renewable energy input will come from buildings; two thirds being homes, with the majority being retrofit installations in existing homes (2.2m out of 3.1m).

Heat pumps are the systems most likely to achieve the renewable savings required, with 70% of the existing homes targeted for ground or air source machines.The remaining 30% of renewables would come from micro-wind, solar hot water and solar PV.

Calorex says heat pumps produce more energy, cost-effectively, than the other technologies.They are also capable of delivering energy for heating and hot water,whatever the weather.Grant support under the CERT (Carbon Emissions Reduction Target) and LCBP (Low Carbon Buildings Programmes) schemes can reduce the capital cost of heat pumps by up to 80%. "We are gearing up for what needs to be a radical shift in heating technology, to deliver the heat pumps and,bring installers and designers up to speed,"says Tony Barnes,Calorex sales director,who welcomed the report.

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