The government has widened the eligibility for its Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) to air-to-air heat pumps and heat batteries. BUS grants had previously been limited to air and ground source heat pumps.
Air-to-air heat pumps effectively work as air conditioners during hot weather, when they provide cooling, plus heating when temperatures are low. Under the expansion of the BUS, consumers will be offered a £2,500 discount on installing an air-to-air heat pump. – just more than half what it typically costs to install one in a flat or small house. Air-to-air heat pumps are smaller than air source devices, so can fit more easily into smaller properties.
The government has also launched a consultation on alternative clean heating solutions for homes, such as infrared heating, solid biomass boilers using agricultural waste, and renewable liquid fuels.
