America Implodes - Retrofit Explodes
Yeah baby. Austin Powers is investing his power in the form of Ed Miliband. And whilst Dr Evil tries to unbuild the US, the retrofit sector is facing a boom with Austin/Ed pressing the big, red button.
Let's look at some of the facts, and the niggles to overcome.
Bringing Manufacturing Back
Truth is, some of it never left. If you know Ireland, you'll have an idea about a stretch of the country that has been for too long associated with a painful past.
That history cannot be disregarded but more focus should be placed on it's reputation as a centre of excellence for pioneering engineering.
In Northern Ireland, you can find some of that expertise at the Cookstown facility which forms part of the global leader in sustainable heating, cooling and refrigeration solutions for commercial, industrial, cold chain and residential industries. Copeland.
Awarded £4.6million in the latest round of funding from central government, adding to the companies inward own investment of £19million last year - it means the facility in Cookstown is expanding to a 3,500m squared footprint with additional production lines. We already saw Ideal heating awarded funding in November too.
Charis Scott-HolmBBC News
What does this mean?
British capacity to produce the basic components of clean heat systems is booming, just as demand is increasing. Which it is. Yep that's right, more good news. Heat Pumps hit their highest adoption rate ever this month. But your might not have heard that amidst all the other news. Especially when media pundits bang on about heat pump failures. (Emily Maitliss et al).
More Installer Training
The next in the queue of hairy chested fist beating joy, is the announcement of funding for thousands of new installer entrants.
"Ministers have also unveiled plans to train up to 18,000 skilled workers to install heat pumps, fit solar panels, install insulation and work on heat networks through the extension of the Heat Training Grant and launch of the Warm Homes Skills Programme." DESNZ Press Release
There is a shortfall in installers. That's been heard. That means growing demand will have a raft of support from newly trained, minted recruits to the army of green jobs being created by our energy transition.
Jambu Palaniappan, CEO at Checkatrade told us:
"The new funding is a key step to empowering more people to enter the trade."
This formidable investment starts it's funding round in the Autumn so new recruits will start entering the workforce in 2026.
Warm Homes Plan To Include Air to Air Heat Pumps and Batteries
This is a real game changer. As families get a wider choice of what they can install under government grants, this enables the difficult to resolve issues associated with properties that can't use ground source heat pumps or air source heat pumps, or need storage capacity for energy generated by solar panels that can be used at alternate times.
Private Rented Sector - Consultation Closing
This is the only niggle really in a day of awesome news. Landlords and tenants have just days to register their concerns about planned reforms to EPC requirements for landlords.
We think the cap on funding is reasonable.
Currently standing at £15,000 but the lack of knowledge on the part of Landlords about novel and new retrofit solutions is a knowledge gap that can be overcome with help from input from organisations that support them but we mustn't accidentally consolidate the sector into a batch of mega landlords.
In the current news cycle it's unusual to feel a sense of optimism. But today, is definitely one of those days.
This article is sponsored by ThermaCote UK. Find out more about their Thin Wall Insulation solution fixing UK homes.
