City chosen for energy project
Sunderland has been earmarked for a Government study on how “green” heat pumps can be provided on a large scale.
The city council and Utilita Energy will work together on the feasibility study – which will have a particular focus on fuel poor and middle-income households.
Cllr Claire Rowntree, deputy leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “We are delighted to be working with Utilita and other partners on this innovative study to deliver heat pumps at affordable prices for Sunderland residents. The council is committed to becoming a net zero city by 2040 and we see schemes like this as playing a major role in helping us achieve that goal.”
The Utilita “Heat Pump Ready” project, one of only 11 nationally given the green light by the Government, will be carried out in partnership with the city council and Northern Power Grid to identify how to remove barriers to heat pump installations on a large scale.
A key aim for the project is to increase the accessibility of heat pumps by simplifying
the purchase and installation process for customers.
Data shows that average yearly heating cost per home in Sunderland was £654 in the last 10 years – which could be reduced by 23%.
A Utilita study of 5,000 UK households earlier found that four out of five households are not planning or able to invest in big ticket energy-efficiency items such as solar panels and heat pumps.
The company says this project will allow it to identify ways to increase awareness, drive demand and lower the cost of installation of heat pumps.
Darren Stubbs, head of heating at Utilita, said: “Heat pumps can cut energy usage by between 20% and 50%, so the technology can’t be ignored.
"Industry data from 2021 shows that homes in Sunderland spend 23% more on heating, compared to the average in England and Wales.”
He added: “Compared to a traditional boiler, heat pumps do require greater upfront investment but, once installed, the savings are impressive for both the pocket and the planet.
“It’s vital that we help Sunderland households that may have already counted themselves out to gain access to the technology and support the change required to maximise the efficiency of heat pump installations.”