The UK Government is currently under pressure to meet the 2020 15% renewable energy target , meaning that 15% of all of the UK's energy must be produced by renewable sources. The UK is lagging behind its European counterparts and is has one of the lowest contributions of renewable heat. Sweden currently produces half of its heat through renewable energy.
Heating currently accounts for 47 per cent of the UK's CO2 emissions and 60 per cent of average domestic energy bills. It makes sense to encourage the use of alternative sources for producing household heating, so the government has developed the Renewable Heat Incentive.
The RHI is a scheme that will encourage UK homeowners to switch to renewable heat energies rather than using traditional fossil fuel burning boilers. These renewable energy options include solar water heating, air source heating and woodfuel boilers. In return the RHI will pay a fixed amount per year to those who opt to change to renewables. The payments will either be made on the exact amount of heat produced or on the estimated amount.
The scheme is due to launch in July 2011 but any system from now until then will be eligible. So if you've been thinking about switching to renewable energy to heat your home, now is a better time than any.
An air source heat pump works by absorbing the heat from the outside air in the same way that a fridge extracts heat from its inside, and will extract heat even in temperatures as low as minus 15 degrees. Unlike gas or oil boilers, heat pumps produce heat over a longer period of time and at a lower temperature.
If you are considering getting an air source heat pump fitted there are a couple of things to first consider:
In order to install the unit you will need some space outside your house where it can be fitted to a wall or free-standing.
An air source heat pump provides heat for longer at a lower temperature it is more efficient if your home is well insulated and draught-proofed to ensure none of the heat is lost.
You will make more of a saving if the heat pump is replacing an electricity or coal heating system. Heat pumps are generally not recommended for homes on the gas network.
Those with underfloor or warm air heating systems will see more of a benefit than people with radiators heating their homes because of the lower temperatures.