“The budget today is a significant step in the right direction and will open up low carbon heating solutions to homes and businesses in the UK. Heat is one of the more challenging areas of the economy to decarbonise and the UK will not be zero carbon by 2050 unless we phase out high carbon heating. Heat pumps have already received rightful recognition for their carbon saving potential and efficiency, and the announcement of the extension to the RHI and this new grant scheme builds on this further. Addressing the upfront investment required to support low carbon heat uptake is key if we are to see mass deployment. We now look forward to the implementation of this promise.

Improving the energy efficiency of our buildings is key to reducing emissions however, property performance was not referenced within the budget and no additional support for efficiency improvements has been provided. This is disappointing, however I look forward to the government’s buildings road-map expected in the summer which should take a holistic approach to improving our buildings and transitioning to low carbon heat.”

Households and industry will play a joint role in moving away from fossil fuel heating in the years ahead, and it is critical that solutions are within consumer reach and affordability so that they can enjoy the benefits.The industry therefore supports the decision to extend of RHI until March 2022 for heat pumps, biomass and solar thermal, to maintain existing support for low carbon heating before the new scheme comes into play. Its also good to see the introduction of Tariff Guarantees for Non-Domestic RHI funding.

Welcomes the decision to accelerate the much needed deployment of heat pumps in homes and small businesses. The announcement of a new Low Carbon Heat Support Scheme is particularly promising given that this will see £100 million delivered through grant-funding in 2022 – 2024; this will make low carbon heating much more accessible for consumers. The details of the scheme are yet to be developed, but this is a welcome announcement.