Less stress, less mess

Hybrids are ideal for replacing combi boilers without the upheaval and additional cost of a full heat pump installation, says Henk van den Berg, strategic business manager –Heating & Renewables – at Daikin UK.

Hybrid heat pumps are a great stepping stone to renewable heating. Installation, commissioning and servicing are similar to traditional gas or oil boilers, as is their operating menu, thermostat unit and heat output – with a quick and easy install alongside a manageable upfront cost.

They combine renewable heat pump technology with a gas boiler to ensure maximum efficiency. The technology is best suited to smaller homes in urban areas that are likely to have a combi boiler, and where the shell of the building is not energy efficient enough to be heated by a fully renewable system.

Gradual shift

They are ideal for home renovations and replacing old boilers. As the efficiency of the building is improved and upgraded over time, the hybrid system’s operation mode can be gradually shifted in favour of the heat pump.

Around 80 per cent of boilers sold now are combis1, which makes that the potential market opportunity for hybrids. And training on these systems now means that you can grow your scope of work and futureproof your business as fossil fuel heating is phased out.

Government funding

Because making a change and choosing fossil fuel alternatives is so critical, the government is incentivising homeowners to choose renewable energy sources to heat their homes. There are a number of schemes your customers can take advantage of.

Metering and Monitoring Service Package

This involves having a set of heat meters, electricity meters and temperature sensors installed on a new heat pump system. These check how well the system is performing and helps to inform future research on the performance of heat pumps. Homeowners can receive an up-front payment of £805, plus £115 per year for seven years, totalling £1,610.

Home Energy Scotland Scheme

Homeowners in Scotland can apply for a grant of up to £7,500 to install heat pumps, including hybrid systems, with an additional £1,500 for homeowners in rural areas.

Sustainable Warmth Competition

In July 2020, the government launched the Local Authority Delivery (LAD) Scheme, with up to £500 million of support for English local authorities to use when improving the energy efficiency of homes occupied by those on low incomes. Funding is currently being allocated to successful applicants and this phase of the LAD Scheme funds can be used to install forms of hybrid heating for homes currently heated by mains gas.

More support needed

Extending the Boiler Upgrade Scheme until 2028 is a positive step but there’s a real need for transitional technologies such as hybrid heat pumps to be included. These systems have already been successful in transitioning homes to greener forms of heating in other European nations and we hope the government will extend the scheme to cover hybrids in due course.

Upskilling on hybrids

The government is considering whether courses such as the Heat Pump Association’s five-day foundation should be mandatory for heat pump installers. The course is closely aligned to industry requirements and covers the fundamentals of how a heat pump works, as well as technical details on the installation and how to choose the right heat pump. On top of this, product-specific training is a good idea for heating engineers who want to get every install right first time. ■ 1 www.uswitch.com/energy/boilers/ boiler-statistics

Smart programming on Daikin Altherma’s air-to-water hybrid heat pump helps to save up to 35 per cent more energy than a traditional condensing boiler by automatically determining the most economical and energy-efficient operating combination, based on energy prices, outdoor temperatures and indoor heat capacity.

Its compact design requires minimal installation space and integrates with existing pipework and radiators so that homeowners don’t need replace their entire heating system.

Daikin provides a three-level training course format on Altherma air source heat pumps, including monobloc, low-temperature, hightemperature, hybrid and water source heat pump ranges.

The first level, Standard Installation, is ideal for anyone who is only involved in basic installations. The second level, Advanced Installation and Commissioning, covers the skills required for effective troubleshooting – valuable for those who are involved in a number of different types of installation.

For competent installers, Service and Fault Finding covers all types of servicing tasks. Advanced heat pump maintenance and faultfinding requires F-Gas qualification, too, for the safe handling of refrigerants as well as hydraulics.

Everyone who completes the course will leave with the skills and knowledge to offer hybrid heat pumps to homeowners looking to start their decarbonisation journey.