The Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, Lord Callanan, is facing scrutiny after reportedly revealing his continued use of a gas boiler at a roundtable QA event in London.

Despite spearheading the initiative to encourage households to switch to heat pumps, critics, including Senior Conservative MP Sir John Redwood, argue that the cost of heat pumps, which can reach £18,000, makes them inaccessible to many.

The minister defended the initiative, pointing to £7,500 incentive grants and asserting that there has “never been a better time to make the switch.”

A few days ago, the government said applications for the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme soared by 49% in December, following a 50% increase in grants for air source heat pumps announced by the Prime Minister in October.

Energy Live News has contacted the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for comment.

Article source: https://www.energylivenews.com/2024/01/31/head-of-uks-heat-pump-drive-still-uses-gas-at-home/