EDF announces two heat pump projects to increase uptake
Gas and electricity supplier EDF has announced two new projects that are designed to support customers transitioning to heat pumps.
Both projects are supported by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) under its Heat Pump Ready Programme.
1. Neighbourhood Heat Pump
The first project – Neighbourhood Heat Pump – is being delivered by a consortium led by EDF, including Kensa Utilities, Devon County Council, Enzen, Urbanomy, Sheffield University and UCL, as part of Stream 1 of Heat Pump Ready.
It will offer customers the opportunity to share a ground source heat pump loop with their neighbours, allowing customers to reduce the cost of installing heat pumps, reduce carbon and improve the energy efficiency of their homes. The initial trial will take place in the Teignmouth area in South Devon.
The project will allow for the innovative, coordinated and efficient deployment of domestic heat pumps across the UK.
2. One Stop Heat Pump App
The second project is the One-stop Heat Pump App, which – as part of Stream 2 of Heat Pump Ready – will streamline the decision making process when it comes to heat pump purchasing.
Customers will be able to use the single platform across three main phases of installation:
- A pre-survey assessment where a few simple questions are combined with publicly available housing data to determine eligibility.
- A remote survey and analysis, carrying out a detailed design, quotation and installation plan, which will be confirmed by a short final in-person visit.
- Post-installation aftercare, delivered by accessing performance data and receiving customer feedback, allowing engineers to tweak the settings if required.
The app thus aims to help customers overcome any lack of technical knowledge of heat pumps, helping them embrace the new technology through an easy-to-follow digital solution.
EDF will be supported in this by consortium partners including Daikin, Scottish Power Energy Networks, RES Distribution and the University of Sheffield.
Heat pumps are marked as a critical solution for decarbonising homes, and will be vital if the UK is to meet its legally binding commitment to achieve net zero by 2050.
The Heat Pump Ready Programme forms part of BEIS‘s £1 billion ($1.1 billion) Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP), which aims to accelerate the commercialisation of innovative clean energy technologies and processes over the next two decades.
