Chamber and committees

Our Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme is open to all domestic owner occupiers in Scotland. Our Home Energy Scotland Advice Service provide free, tailored advice on the suitability of a heat pump for a property and advise on what support is available.

We run targeted marketing campaigns. As stated in the answer to S6W-22629, we are planning to run a campaign which will target early adopters alongside other strands of awareness raising activity. Evidence shows that this group tend to be owner occupiers, environmentally minded and aged over 40. Advice on the suitability of individual homes for heat pumps will continued to be provided to those responding to the campaign by Home Energy Scotland. We also run an annual campaign targeting those in or at risk of being in fuel poverty to encourage households to contact Home Energy Scotland for support via our Warmer Homes Scotland scheme which continues to provide free heating and energy efficiency upgrades for those most in need.

No economic modelling has been undertaken. As we continue to engage with the sector, if a need for economic modelling emerges then we will consider it. Future demand for heat pump maintenance will be influenced by a range of different factors related to business needs and future local demands, including our recent regulatory proposals. We will continue to work with the sector to understand the impact of our proposals and the wider package of support we currently have in place. A key ask of the supply chain has been clarity about scope and timing of regulation which is central to their planning for investment in capacity and skills needed for manufacture, installation and maintenance. This is why we set out our draft proposals on regulation on 28 November.

The data sources used to identify this audience are listed in the answer to question S6W-23654 on 21 December 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Our technology-neutral approach to decarbonising homes across Scotland will enable home owners to choose the technology which is right for them, which may in many instances be a heat pump.

Although heat pumps are much more efficient than gas boilers, their running costs depend upon the price of electricity as well as the efficiency of the heat pump. This is why we continue to call for urgent action by the UK Government to use its reserved powers to rebalance energy prices and ensure that the running costs of clean heating systems are comparable to gas and other polluting systems.

We are proposing that homes across Scotland, where technically feasible and cost effective, will need to meet an energy efficiency standard by the end of 2033. Cost-effective energy efficiency measures will keep homes warmer and reduce the running costs of the home’s heating system.

We have a broad range of delivery programmes to provide advice and support for property owners. Through Home Energy Scotland, households can now claim grant funding of up to £18,000 (in rural homes) or £15,000 (in non-rural areas) to install clean heating and improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

Our fuel poverty programme, Warmer Homes Scotland, offers households clean heating systems where doing so would not increase running costs. Where clean heating systems are not appropriate, the assessor will recommend a suitable package of insulation and/or other heating options.

Our consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill includes a commitment to ensure that the right protections are in place to enable a transition which is just, fair and effective.

We continue to make progress against the actions outlined within the Heat in Buildings Supply Chains Delivery Plan. In November 2022 we launched the Green Heat Innovation Support Programme and the Green Heat Installer Engagement Programme . More recently we fulfilled our commitment to launch a new Mobile Heat Pump Training centre .

Proposals have progressed for a Green Heat Manufacturing Hub following the call issued by Scottish Enterprise in December 2022. A full and final proposal is now in development and is expected in early 2024.

In addition, we continue to explore options for a supplier-led funding scheme, which has the potential to support supply chain growth. We are currently engaging with the clean heat sector to understand appetite for such a scheme and the associated potential barriers and opportunities.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken economic modelling on this particular point. We will continue to engage with the sector in ensuring it can respond to the increasing take up of clean heating systems over the next decades, including undertaking economic analysis if this is appropriate.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The Renewables Installer Finder tool, funded by Scottish Government, provides information on Microgeneration Certification Scheme certified installers who operate in Scotland and wish to list their information on the tool. The tool can be found at: Renewables Installer Finder (est.org.uk)

The Scottish Government has not undertaken economic modelling on this particular point. We will continue to engage with the sector in ensuring it can respond to the increasing take up of clean heating systems over the next decades, including undertaking economic analysis if this is appropriate.

As referred to in the answer to question S6W-22629, we are planning an awareness raising campaign in the new year for those considering installing a heat pump. Options to maximise the reach and impact of the campaign are still being considered but include PR, digital advertising and press activity.

No economic modelling has been undertaken. As we continue to engage with the sector, if a need for economic modelling emerges then we will consider it. A key ask of the supply chain has been clarity about scope and timing of regulation which is central to their planning for investment in capacity and skills needed for manufacture, installation and maintenance. This is why we set out our draft proposals on regulation on 28 November.