Panasonic HQ Heat Pump Training Centre in Welwyn Receives Ministerial Visit

The Rt Hon Grant Shapps, MP and Secretary of State for the Department of Energy Security & Net Zero, today visited the Panasonic Heating & Cooling HQ and Heat Pump Training Centre in Welwyn Garden City

Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions was pleased to receive a visit from Rt Hon Grant Shapps, MP for Welwyn Hatfield and Secretary of State for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, to its Welwyn headquarters to see first-hand the new fully equipped training centre for heating and cooling systems. This visit follows Mr Shapps’ recent trip to Japan for the G7 Summit during which time he also visited the Panasonic factory and R&D facility in Tokyo.

The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP for Welwyn Hatfield commented, “It was wonderful to meet the team at the Panasonic Heating and Cooling HQ in my constituency. It was so interesting to learn about and see first-hand their innovative work on high-quality heat pumps which will help reduce our carbon emissions and provide lower energy bills for all. I was also thrilled to learn about Panasonic’s new training and support scheme which launches this month. It encourages installers to train in low-carbon technologies and receive £500 upon completion of their training and their first installation of a low-carbon heat pump. I want to thank the team at Panasonic for making the time to see me and thank them for helping Britain decarbonise. I wish them all the best for the future.”

Jose Alves, UK Country Manager for Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions added, “It's always encouraging to see local politicians and government ministers taking an active interest in the issues that matter to their constituents, and the recent visit by our MP and Secretary of State is a great example of this. The fact that our MP has taken the time to learn about the training we provide, our local employment and investment initiatives, and our commitment to carbon neutrality through the use of heat pumps is a testament to his dedication to these causes.”

Encouraging UK homeowners to switch to low carbon technologies is a key cornerstone of government policy, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides upfront capital grants to support the installation of heat pumps and biomass boilers in homes and non-domestic buildings in England and Wales. Panasonic offers support and training for installers looking to fit heat pumps and during his visit, Grant Shapps learnt about Panasonic’s latest incentive; a new scheme to encourage installers to train in this new technology, by offering £500 in Rewards on completion of their accredited heat pump training and their first Panasonic installation[1]. The scheme is due to launch in May 2023.

Paul Taylor, Head of Renewables for Panasonic UK further added, “Training is a vital aspect of ensuring that our workforce has the skills needed to succeed in an ever-changing economy. It also helps ensure that the heat pump installlations are of a high quality and provides reasurance in their reliability and high level of energy efficiency which not only helps reduce carbon but also helps reduce energy costs ; it's great to see that our MP recognises this. Our focus and our commitment to carbon neutrality is crucial if we are to tackle the global challenge of climate change to protect for future generations.”

Panasonic is not new to heat pump technology and has been a key innovator in the sector, introducing its first heating and cooling product into Europe more than 60 years ago. The range has since grown extensively, developing into one of the most efficient and widest ranges on the market. The latest additions to the portfolio are the Aquarea K and L Generation heat pumps, in keeping with the company’s vision of creating technologies for a low-carbon society. The new ‘K’ Generation are redesigned units which recently gained a ‘BEST 100 Design Award 2022’, making them an excellent solution for all types of properties, new or retrofit. Meanwhile, the new Aquarea ‘L’ Generation, available from spring 2023, is also based on the same new design, however using the natural refrigerant R290, which has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of only 3.

For more information, please visit www.aircon.panasonic.eu.