UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The UK government has appointed the Behavioural Insights Team to tackle heat pump myths, focused on enhancing wider acceptance despite negative media coverage.
Heat pumps, which operate on electricity rather than gas, are considered vital for reducing emissions in homes. The government’s goal is to install 600,000 yearly by 2028 as it moves toward its net-zero target for the year 2050.
According to The Guardian, the BIT has received a £100,000 government contract to fight false information in the media, which is slowing down the use of heat pump technology.
The Department for Energy’s unpublished research is now part of a deal awarded to BIT, shedding new light on heat pump adoption.
The research revealed that individuals who thought they knew heat pumps were less likely to want one, while those who answered a basic question accurately were more interested in them.
A major survey by BIT, focusing on public views and media reporting, will guide government efforts to address heat pump fake information.
The contract stated, “Information about heat pumps is being shared by the media and stakeholders, which may be skewed to negative, incorrect or exaggerated stories of heat pump adoption.”
The contract also highlights myths such as heat pumps being noisy, too expensive to install, unreliable, and ineffective for older houses.
The report cites articles from the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph, stating that some points, like the high price of heat pumps, are accurate, but noting others, such as their poor performance in the cold, are misleading.
The document stated, “Online information which is imbalanced or skewed towards incorrect and exaggerated claims could be considered an environment where misinformation is a problem.”
While the stakeholders are not disclosed, former Tory energy minister Martin Callanan suggested last year that some groups are motivated to keep gas boilers in widespread usage.
Reform UK has recently raised concerns about heat pump technology as part of its resistance to net-zero policies, with party leader Nigel Farage voicing similar concerns during his appearance on GB News.
Richard Tice MP, deputy leader of Reform UK, has rejected heat pump technology, stating it is not suitable for properties.
The president of climate, energy, and sustainability at BIT, Toby Park stated, “Heat pumps are a very efficient low-carbon system for keeping our homes warm but negative perceptions remain a barrier to their widespread adoption.”
The UK saw record heat pump installations last year, with only 42,000 installed since January. Air-source heat pumps cost more than £12,500, far more than gas boilers, but households can apply for a £7,500 government grant to support adoption.
According to experts, heat pumps are effective for the majority of homes, not only newer ones. On average, they are significantly more efficient than gas boilers, producing 2.5 to 5 units of heat for each unit of electricity consumed.
In March 2024, a joint investigation by DeSmog and The Guardian revealed that the Energy and Utilities Association (EUA), through PR agency WPR, was behind numerous negative stories about electric heat pumps.
The PR agency was responsible for two-thirds of the prominent negative articles on heat pumps over 23 months leading up to April 2023, with prominent headlines in The Sun, Telegraph, and The Express calling the technology “Soviet-style,” “financially irrational,” and “costly and noisy.”
Michael Liebreich, founder of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, described firms as “incredibly foolish” for investing in anti-heat-pump PR efforts.