PANASONIC WELCOMES NEW GOVERNMENT-BACKED GREEN HOMES GRANT

Following on from the new ‘Boris’ slogan ‘Build, Build, Build’ to help kick start the UK economy, in July 2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak, announced a new Green Homes Grant of £2bn. Providing access to funding for sustainable and energy efficient technologies to be installed in UK homes, it is hoped the grant will accelerate progress to a greener and net zero carbon recovery.

The new Green Homes Grant is due to come into effect for a seven-month period lasting from September 2020 to the end of March 2021. Residents will be able to claim two-thirds of the cost of energy efficient home improvements up to the value of £5,000 in the form of vouchers (with those on low income who are owner occupiers and in receipt of income-based or disability benefits, getting 100% subsidy up to a maximum government contribution of £10,000) . This grant includes the installation of domestic air source heat pumps as well as other energy-saving technologies.

Homeowners will be able to apply for the Green Homes vouchers from September 2020 with the work carried out via accredited and ‘TrustMark’ Registered Business installers or Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS Accredited installers) , which will give households more confidence in their home improvement investments.

Tony Nielsen, UK Marketing Manager for Panasonic commented, “We welcome the moves that the UK government is making in this area. Improving the energy efficiency of the UK’s housing stock is vital in achieving carbon neutral targets and it makes sense in a number of ways. Investing in sustainable energy technologies, such as air source heat pumps, will deliver benefits to homeowners looking to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, as well as reducing household bills and running costs. The new Green Homes Grant is a welcome addition to the range of measures being taken and we hope, as well as helping to reduce carbon emissions, this could also safeguard much needed jobs and career opportunities in the sector to further boost the economy.

Furthermore, the knowledgeable and experienced team at Panasonic are committed to helping ease the process for those wishing to participate in the new Green Homes Grant and can provide guidance and support to installers and end users.”

Looking to the future, as the road to recovery begins, manufacturers, such as Panasonic, are stepping up to the challenge to meet the net zero emission targets by 2050. For example, Panasonic is increasing its offering of sustainable energy solutions as well as increasing online training availability for installers by offering specific and accredited training courses to help installers become more efficient and knowledgeable in correctly installing air-to-water heat pumps.

Panasonic’s Aquarea range of air-to-water heat pumps is among the widest on the market, with systems available to suit all sizes of property and capacity requirements.

This recent announcement falls in line with the Government’s aim to allow only low carbon energy systems to be installed into new build homes from 2025 and, by 2035, to replace all existing fossil fuelled heating systems with low carbon energy technology. Consumer interest in such technologies is growing and Panasonic is seeing a growing demand for such low carbon heating and hot water systems. The latest addition to its Aquarea range is the new J Series, available in three different versions: Monobloc, Bi-Bloc and the All-In-One. Aquarea air to water heat pumps use R32 refrigerant, with its lower GWP and increased performance characteristics.

For more information on Panasonic Air Source heat pumps or current training, please visit www.aircon.panasonic.co.uk.