heat pumps | Oil Installer

Rural homes say government’s green heating plans are treating them unfairly

Recent poll shows 9 in 10 rural homes believe plans to end fossil fuel heating installations will unfairly impact them.

High energy costs stifling uptake of low carbon technology

Survey finds only half of Brits have heard of heat pumps!

Cheaper heating oil deals blow to Government rural heat pump rollout

The government’s rural heat pump rollout cools down due to cheap oil deals.

Discounted heat pump training still available with extension to funding for technician upskilling

Future proof your heating career with discounted heat pump training

Poll suggests off-grid boiler ban will leave rural homes in fuel poverty

Renewable fuels the popular solution as rural home owners fear heat pump installation costs

Survey finds installers want heat pump training but opt for hybrid systems

Hybrid systems are the low carbon solution of choice for installers

Oil installer embraces the evolving home heating sector and a digital future

From the summer issue, OFTEC registered installers and specifiers can choose Oil Installer electronically or in print.

OFTEC urges immediate action following Climate Change report

OFTEC statement in response to the IPCC report In response to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report and final warning that we need to take immediate action to tackle emissions or risk irreversible damage to the planet, Malcolm Farrow, head of public affairs at OFTEC, commented: “Time is not on our side. The stark warning from the IPCC is clear and we need to urgently rethink our approach to decarbonisation. Tackling the emissions from heating buildings is a key priority. The government is mainly focussed on accelerating the deployment of heat pumps and, through our training and registration services, OFTEC is supporting more and more technicians to install them in suitable properties. Utilise all technologies to make rapid progress “However, there are risks in focussing too much on one technology. Not every property is going to be suitable for a heat pump and their high cost is a barrier to progress. This is particularly true off-grid where disruptive and expensive investments are often needed for heat pumps to work effectively. We need to embrace other options if we are to make progress quickly. This means taking a pragmatic approach where we focus on achieving progress rapidly by utilising all available technologies. “Working with industry partners, we’ve transitioned nearly 150 oil heated properties to the renewable liquid fuel Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). The demonstration project has been hugely successful and it’s clear HVO works as a solution. It reduces emissions by nearly 90% and the conversion cost for the end user is expected to be around £500. “By utilising both heat pumps and HVO and installing the most suited solution on a case-by-case basis, we can keep costs down for both the government and off gas grid households, whilst rolling out low carbon heating far more quickly. However, we need the government to recognise the important role of HVO and put in place the policy mechanisms to support this approach.” This statement was issued 23 March 2023