Behaviour experts say misinformation shared in media and by other stakeholders is impeding uptake

Experts from a “nudge unit” have been hired to help ministers fight misinformation about heat pumps to try to encourage take-up of the devices.

The appliances run on electricity instead of gas and are regarded as a way of decarbonising homes at scale. A target of installing 600,000 a year by 2028 is part of a drive to achieve Britain’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050.

However, misinformation shared in the media and by “other stakeholders” is impeding uptake, according to a £100,000 government contract awarded to the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT), which specialises in ideas to “nudge” the public into taking different actions.

The contract awarded to BIT contains details of a previously unpublished research by the Department for Energy.

It found that individuals who self-reported that they knew a fair amount or a lot about heat pumps were less likely to want one. However, people who correctly answered a simple knowledge question about heat pumps were more likely to want one.

BIT is finalising a large survey of householders’ views and coverage in the media that will be used in planning how the government will push back against misinformation.

“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,” says the contract, which cites examples including claims that the pumps are noisy, cost too much to install and are not reliable and don’t work in older homes.

Articles about heat pumps in the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph were cited in the document, which states that some of these stories “are generally well-founded, such as believing that heat pumps are expensive” but adds that some include incorrect misconceptions, such as believing they might not work well in the cold.

“Online information which is imbalanced or skewed towards incorrect and exaggerated claims could be considered an environment where misinformation is a problem,” it reads.

  • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝OPAEnglish
    51·
    5 days ago

    Air to air heat pumps are a thing even in the UK:

    Air-to-air heat pumps are sometimes referred to as air conditioning. While many people think of air conditioning as a way of cooling buildings, it can also be used for heating.

    …

    In the UK, air-to-air heat pumps aren’t typically used for heating larger homes. Air source heat pumps are most common in the UK. More often, air-to-air heat pumps are installed in smaller properties, such as flats and park homes.

    https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/air-to-air-heat-pumps/

    What is the difference between an air-to-air heat pump and an air conditioner?

    Nothing

    …

    Units that both heat and cool the air are more commonly known as air-to-air heat pumps, whereas units that only have a cooling function are known as air conditioners. Demand for units that can heat as well as cool is taking off, and people are finding that air-to-air heat pumps are the perfect solution for their homes.

    https://www.daikin.co.uk/en_gb/residential/inspiration/articles/air-to-air-heat-pumps-vs-air-conditioning.html

    I had heat pumps installed in my 100-year-old seafront house in 2009, with air-to-air systems – outside units connected with highly controllable indoor heaters – in three of the four flats. Why are systems like this – relatively cheap to install and run, and easy to manage, requiring no plumbing because they don’t use radiators – so often ignored? Your article on air-source heat pumps doesn’t even mention them (Are heat pumps more expensive to run than gas boilers?, 13 May).

    My experience of air-to-air heaters has been brilliant; they are not only cheap to run, but they also work as air conditioners on hot days. I heat water separately, without hot water cylinders; the water is heated only when the hot tap is turned on, so there’s minimal waste of energy.

    In my middle flat, I thought an air-to-air system would be impractical, so I had an air-to-water system installed, with radiators. It has proved much more expensive to run and more troublesome to maintain. The heat pump itself is brilliant; the problems are with the control systems and the fact that hot water has to be stored at a higher temperature than the heat pump produces, which requires the use of direct heating in the hot water cylinder. Had I known this when I bought the system – which was expensive, despite the grant – I would never have had it installed.

    Please let your readers know: air-to-air heat pump systems, involving no water or radiators, are wonderful.

    Arabella Melville
    Pwllheli, Gwynedd

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/19/a-lot-of-hot-air-the-pros-and-cons-of-heat-pumps

    I ran those past a friend who is a building services engineer who said it’s all straightforward, it’s just air conditioning where you reverse the refrigeration cycle. It’s promoted less because the concern is that people would run it during the summer too for the more standard “comfort cooling” (opposed to air-to-water/air source heat pumps that largely run when it is cold) and so use more energy. Not an issue if backed up with solar panels and/or green electricity but a worry at the moment. It has added advantages, as it can reduce humidity too, which would sort out problems with mould and the like.

      • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝OPAEnglish
        2·
        5 days ago

        Nope. You said air conditioning wasn’t that useful in private houses in the UK when it is becoming a bigger deal, usually sold as air-to-air heat pumps.

          • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝OPAEnglish
            3·
            5 days ago

            And we increasingly do, but it’s under the label air-to-air heat pumps, but it’s an air conditioning unit that is being used to warm air, not just cool it. My friend installs a lot of industrial air conditioning and says there is essentially no difference just marketing.

            • FelixCress@lemmy.world
              3·
              5 days ago

              You are missing the point completely. That wasn’t what he was referring to and it wasn’t what my answer was about.

              He asked if we already have an air con as the heat exchange will be exactly the same level of noise. The answer is we don’t. When your friend is fitting heat pumps, he is replacing existing gas boilers, not the existing air condition units.