EDF has announced the acquisition of specialist heat pump installer CB Heating.
It builds upon EDF’s strategic investment announced in 2022 which allowed CB Heating to train an extra 370 engineers through its Heat Pump Installers Network (HPIN) Academy.
As part of the acquisition, EDF has announced plans to fund further training schemes and through CB Heating is planning to train over 1,000 heat pump installers next year.
Clayton Browne, managing director at CB Heating, said: “Now CB Heating has the investment and resource to continue its journey to develop and grow our HPIN network, which is the largest network of qualified trained heat pump installers in the UK.
“We plan to train over 1,000 heat pump installers in 2024, meaning a quarter of all estimated heat pump installers in the UK will be a HPIN member.
“We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved so far and will continue to work with thousands of other local independent installers to help them move away from fossil fuels and switch to heat pumps. It’s a very exciting time for CB Heating as we take this next step in our 23-year history.”
One of the challenges in delivering the government’s overarching decarbonisation strategy will require the number of qualified zero carbon heat engineers to increase dramatically. According to Nesta, the UK requires 27,000 qualified engineers to meet current government targets of delivering 600,000 heat pump installations each year by 2028.
Currently, there are around 4,500 qualified heat pump installers in the UK compared to more than 150,000 gas safe engineers.
EDF claims the HPIN Academy has the potential to train up to 4,000 new heat pump installers every year.
Philippe Commaret, managing director of customers at EDF, added: “The investment we’re making in the heat pump market is representative of all the work we’re doing to help Britain achieve net zero.
“Having acquired stand-out installer CB Heating, we look forward to delivering an even better service and added value for our customers, making it easier for them to switch from polluting fossil fuels to low carbon electricity, and in doing so, save cash and carbon.”
Last month, the government increased the maximum value of a Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant to £7,500 for both air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps.
Previously the maximum grant for an air source heat pump was capped at £5,000 while grants of £6,000 were available for ground source heat pumps.
As a result of the increased funding, director for growth & external affairs at the Heat Pump Federation Bean Beanland told Utility Week that the current funding pot which provides heat pump grants to the public “could be blown” before the end of March 2024 due to a predicted surge in demand.