Flagship heat pump grant scheme ‘hardly helping’ energy shift, say Lib Dems

Scottish ministers have been told a flagship scheme to help homeowners install heat pumps is “hardly helping” shift towards green energy.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats said the 2022 Home Energy Scotland scheme, which offers grants of up to £7,500 and interest free loans to help with installation, has only paid for 2,085 heat pumps in the last year.

The figures, obtained by the party through freedom of information requests, come after the Climate Change Committee’s 2023 report warned the switch to domestic heat pumps is “significantly off track”.

Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie has warned the Scottish Government must move with more pace, and he urged ministers to launch an emergency home energy upgrade programme which provides free insulation and heat pumps for low income households.

Rennie said: “Here in Scotland, housing is one of our biggest sources of emissions because it is cold, leaking and relies on fossil fuels.

“If Scotland is to bring down its emissions, we need to find greener ways to heat our homes and ways to make them more energy efficient. Switching to green heating systems can be a win-win, cutting emissions and bringing down bills.

“The Net Zero Secretary boasted that world leaders were lining up to ask for Scotland’s advice on decarbonising, but these figures show the reality at home. The Scottish Government is significantly off track on heat pumps, and its flagship scheme is hardly helping.

“SNP ministers have missed climate targets year after year, but they seem content to plod along.”

The Scottish Government currently aims to install around 25,000 heat pumps a year, with a longer term target of 200,000 annually by the end of the decade

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are seeing sustained demand from households seeking to decarbonise heat in their homes.

“The 2,000 heat pumps installed via the scheme in 2023 represents a 17% increase on the previous year and the scheme also supported the installation of more than 1,500 energy efficiency measures.

“This contributed to more than 6,000 MCS-accredited heat pumps installed across Scotland as a whole last year.

“Whilst providing a generous package of funding for households seeking to take action now, the Home Energy Scotland grants and loans scheme is only one part of a much wider programme of work to reduce emissions from heating our buildings.”

“We know there is more to do to accelerate the pace and scale of our heat transition.

“We are currently considering the responses to our recent consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill and will confirm next steps shortly.”