As previously reported, Blackshawhead Environmental Action Team (BEAT) has been working with British Gas to have heavily-discounted air source heat pumps (ASHPs) installed in local houses which are not connected to mains gas. Finn Jensen of BEAT says,
“The British Gas ASHP offer is not just for Blackshaw Head so if anyone else who is not on mains gas is interested we will forward that to British Gas.”
Extended deadline means there’s still time for a free survey
The deadline for the installation of an air source heat pump with a discount of around £10,000 has now been extended by the government to the end of March 2013. So if you’re off the gas mains and want a free survey of your house to see if it’s suitable and to get a quote for the discounted installation cost (usually around £5-6,000) please email finn.jensen@rocketmail.com with your phone number(s).
If a gas pipe runs near your house but you are not connected to it you can still qualify for this heavily discounted air source heat pump offer.
If you have already had a survey done and your house was suitable for an air source heat pump but you did not want it installed in December you now have the option to have it installed before 1st April 2013.
Renewable Heat Incentive payments start in 2013
If you have an air source heat pump installed (or a biomass heating system or thermal solar panels for that matter) you are likely to qualify for Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments for up to seven years, starting in 2013. These government payments are not finalised but the government is suggesting that they will be high enough to pay off the costs of having the heating system installed plus a bit extra for the inconvenience of the disruption during installation.
Insulation, insulation, insulation
Finn Jensen from BEAT says
“So far we have had 44 households requesting a survey from BG for an ASHP but most of the houses up here are not suitable due to heat loss. So insulation, insulation and insulation is the answer.
Some of the surveyed households decided not to go ahead for a variety of reasons (lack of space for a tank or large radiators, time of year for the installation, the disruption is will create, etc). Ideally, these systems should have been installed during the Summer months.”
BEAT is also exploring with British Gas the possibility that low-income households on state benefits and not on mains gas can get their heating system upgraded for free, whether through insulation (loft & cavity wall or solid wall insulation), connection to mains gas or the installation of heat pumps or biomass heating systems.
Support the Energy Bill Revolution campaign for a national home insulation programme paid for out of the money from carbon taxes
Air source heat pumps and renewable heating are all well and good but like Finn says, the real issue is insulation, insulation, insulation. This reduces heat loss, energy consumption, carbon emissions and fuel poverty, which is a massive problem that shouldn’t exist.
Income from carbon taxes is more than enough to solve this problem – it would pay for a national home retrofit programme worth around £6.5K per household, which would give us all warmer homes and a cooler planet. The Energy Bill Revolution is campaigning for this to happen. Please support it.
Since I came out of hibernation to post this news, I hope some folk in Blackshawhead find it useful!
Updated 15/12/2012 to clarify that all households are eligible for the discounted British Gas Air source heat pumps scheme and free survey, and you can contact British Gas via Finn Jensen of BEAT.
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