According to MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme), the standards organisation for small-scale domestic renewable energy and technology, Scotland has officially surpassed 200,000 small-scale renewable technology installations since records began in 2008.
The latest installation figures show that over 35,000 of these installations are heat pumps.
MCS data reveals that just over 5,000 heat pumps have been installed in Scotland this year already, making 2023 Scotland’s best year ever for heat pump uptake.
The Home Energy Scotland Grant (HES) and Loan was launched in 2015 and has played a part in Scotland’s uptake of heat pumps. The HES grant provides Scottish consumers with £7,500 towards the cost of a heat pump, with some Scottish households able to claim up to £9,000 with a rural uplift. The grant can be bolstered by an optional interest-free loan of up to an additional £7,500.
Daniel Merrett of Monikie, a rural village near Dundee, had an air source heat pump installed by IMS Heat Pumps in January, through the funding available from the HES grant. Daniel said that “the cost was a significant factor, and the funding available towards the installation cost was the deciding factor for me”.
“My building contractor recommended IMS heat pumps as they had worked with them before and were satisfied with their work, and importantly were MCS Certified which was extremely important as I was utilising the Home Energy Scotland Grant with rural uplift and interest free loan to fund the installation.”
Lee Brown, Operations Director at IMS Heat Pumps added: “Heat pumps are an obvious option for rural homes, particularly those off the gas grid. The incentive scheme offered by the Scottish Government is a huge help for homeowners in Scotland looking to decarbonising their home heating, and we’re pleased to see incentive schemes in England and Wales have recently been brought closer to the level of offering provided north of the border.”
The Scottish Government also provides heating engineers with a grant to become MCS certified for heat pumps. The grant will pay 75%, up to a maximum of £1,000, of a contractors’ certification fees until the end of March 2024.
You can track the UK’s renewable technology uptake via the MCS Data Dashboard
Main image: Emma Bohan, Managing Director; and Lee Brown, Operations Director at IMS Heat Pumps
