Six in seven households dropped out of an Eon pilot programme to install heat pumps because the grants offered did not cover the cost of remediation work, the company’s chief executive has revealed.
During a session on energy efficiency at Utility Week’s Build Back Better forum, Michael Lewis said Eon had been carrying out a pilot programme with Newcastle council to install 250 heat pumps.
While there had been “a lot of inquiries” about the programme, he said 85 per cent of those who expressed an interest had “pulled back” because the cost of remediation works, such as replacing carpets, which were not covered by the grants for installing the heat pumps.
“While the relative value of that is small, it is critically important. We need to design schemes so they are attractive to people and there are not hurdles in the way to put them off.
“This is about making schemes really attractive to customers. It has to be simple, attractive and customers need to know that work will be done to the highest standard.”
“Home-owners are nervous about tampering with their homes.”
Lewis also urged a “tidying up” of the various existing energy efficiency schemes, such as the industry funded Energy Company Obligation (ECO).
And he expanded his call for an extension of the Local Authority Delivery energy efficiency scheme first £200 million phase to the bigger £2 billion Green Homes Grant voucher scheme.
“We can deliver in the short term with tweaks to the existing time but can only deliver long term if we can train the next wave of workers needed.”
“It’s a great step forward but only a first step.
“We need to see a long-term programme that will bring more investment into energy efficiency.”
“We are hopelessly behind the curve on delivering energy efficiency: it’s not even low hanging fruit but fruit lying on the floor.”
Earlier James Heath, chief executive of the National Infrastructure Commission, had said the scale of the energy efficiency upgrade required by the UK is akin to the mass-switch over from analogue to digital TV.
Like the home upgrade, he said that the ten-year switch to digital TV had required a “major” level of engagement with consumers.