Manufacturers and politicians do not understand our industry

I read the piece in June written by Peter Spurway of LG Electronics, “Ignore them at your peril”, with regard to the ongoing and, frankly, boring discussion regarding air source heat pumps. In Mr Spurway’s editorial, he indicates that there are “hundreds of thousands of heat pumps being installed in Germany this year and hundreds of thousands already fitted and operating very well in Scandinavia and North America”.

It is clear that Mr Spurway has no idea why air source heat pumps are so ineffective in the UK, as insulation to properties in the countries he outlines are far superior to the insulation in properties in this country.

While air source heat pumps may well offer an alternative to heating in new properties in the

UK, where insulation and SAP calculations make their installation so much better, existing properties do not have the same standard of insulation and I find his comments typically unhelpful, as well as those of many other manufacturers of heat pumps and politicians, who clearly have no understanding of the industry.

One example is what type of air source heat pump is to replace a gas-fired combi boiler or the space required for an air source installation.

Please stop the incessant misinformation and provide a true forum for intelligent discussion about future heating appliances without creating deadlines that clearly will not be met.

DT Peters, Crowthorne Heating Co

potentially putting us in a situation where they would have to do load-shedding?

If we are looking at changes, then we should be looking at hydrogen for the majority of people who have gas central heating. I have been to the hydrogen house in Gateshead and that seems a better way for most of us.

I have nothing against renewables and I think there is a place for them in this country.

And they should go hand in hand with gas/hydrogen blending and eventually 100 per cent hydrogen in the right places and manner.

But having out-of-touch politicians – regardless of political party – ramming this down our throats as Mr McManus suggests is out of order.

Robert Ward, R Ward Gas Services