Energy firm EDF, alongside CB Heating and Daikin, have launched a new Training Academy to drive the upskilling of heat pump installers.

As part of securing the UK's energy security and meeting its climate commitments, the UK government has citied heat pumps as a crucial component in its future heating strategy in a bid to reduce reliance on gas and lower rising energy prices for the longer term.

It is critical that the UK finds sustainable alternatives to gas heating for buildings to tackle climate change. Global gas constraints have increased UK imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) at a higher environmental cost, with analysis showing that transportation of LNG causes up to ten times the carbon emissions.

Heat pumps have an efficiency rating of over 300%2 compared to traditional gas boilers, which have an efficiency of approximately 92%, losing at least 8% of the energy through the process of burning fossil fuels. Further, heat pumps also have a potential working life of up to 20 years, far longer than a traditional boiler, enabling households to cut their carbon emissions by more than 23 tonnes of CO2 over 10 years.

The Government has set a target of installing 600,000 heat pumps by 2028 and the newly launched Training Academy will play an important role in helping to meet that target.

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Currently, there are less than 4,000 qualified heat pump installers (according to the latest MCS estimates) in the UK compared to more than 100,000 gas safe engineers. The new facility, which follows the investment and partnership agreement made between EDF and CB Heating in May, has the capacity to train up to 4,000 installers a year using Daikin equipment and products.

Once trained, these engineers will continue to receive support from Daikin, EDF and CB Heating in safely and efficiently installing the technology nationwide. Their work will drive the UK further towards its goals of energy efficiency and security.

EDF, CB Heating and Daikin are calling on plumbers, engineers, electricians and apprentices to enrol in the academy and become qualified heat pump installers. The training comprises a range of Daikin and BPEC accredited courses that are both practical and classroom-based, depending on the experience and existing qualifications of the trainee.

Business and Energy Minister Lord Callanan said: "Heat pumps are highly efficient and reliable and are key to cutting carbon emissions using cheaper renewable energy produced here in the UK. By training thousands of highly skilled heat pump installers, the new Heat Pump Installer Network Training Academy will help drive us towards improving the energy performance of our buildings and deploying low-carbon heating across the country. Green energy is opening huge growth and job opportunities right on our doorsteps, and we’re ensuring the cost of installing a heat pump is being slashed with £5,000 grants through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and a zero rate of VAT, so it becomes an affordable option to more households than ever before."

Philippe Commaret, Managing Director for Customers at EDF commented: "For Britain to achieve net zero, decarbonising homes will be vital but in order to achieve this, we need to have the right skills in place across the length and breadth of the country and the Training Academy will help deliver this. We encourage all relevant professionals and businesses to access the training required to create the qualified installation workforce that will enable people across the UK to adopt heat pumps in the future."