Mitsubishi Electric has called on the UK government to revise regulations affecting high-temperature heat pumps and address the price gap between electricity and gas. Its new white paper, Unlocking High Temperature Heat Pump Adoption, examines how the technology could support home heating decarbonisation while reducing retrofit costs, disruption and complexity.
The paper comes as the government aims to increase heat pump deployment to 450,000 installations per year by 2030 on the way to its legally binding 2050 net zero target. Buildings account for around 21% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, while four out of five homes expected to exist in 2050 have already been built.
Mitsubishi Electric’s Ecodan R290 heat pump can deliver flow temperatures of up to 75°C (167°F). The company says this could allow many homes to retain existing radiators and pipework, including microbore systems, reducing installation costs, installation time and disruption.
Pilot projects with UK housing association Sovereign Network Group found that existing radiators and microbore pipework could be retained. According to the white paper, this reduced installation times by up to 40% while lowering costs and improving the household experience.
The report identifies regulations that Mitsubishi Electric says restrict the deployment of high-temperature heat pumps. The company is asking policymakers to update these rules and address the “spark gap,” the price disparity between electricity and gas.
“The technology exists today to help Britain achieve its heat pump deployment ambitions. What is needed now is a policy environment that supports innovation, removes unnecessary barriers and gives homeowners, landlords and social housing providers the confidence to invest in low-carbon heating,” said James Chaplen, Head of Product Marketing and Communications at Mitsubishi Electric.
