The Energy Secretary has authorised Ofgem to over-allocate vouchers for heat pumps under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme by up to £50 million this financial year, raising the total to £200 million.
This decision comes as demand for the £7,500 grant for heat pumps has surged in recent months.
Jess Ralston, Head of Energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, commented on the announcement, stating, “The UK was so badly hit by the gas crisis partly because 85% of our homes use gas for heating, a mistake we can’t afford to repeat if there’s a future gas price spike.
“Ignoring any potential calls from the gas boiler industry to delay or scrap other heat pump policies like the Clean Heat Market Mechanism will be important for growing the market even further and ensuring that households are no longer exposed to volatility in international gas markets that the UK will never have control over.”
