Plug Me In Partners with ScottishPower to accelerate adoption of Heat Pumps

We're excited to announce our new partnership with ScottishPower as they,  with Plug Me In’s support, look to accelerate the adoption of Heat Pump’s across the UK.  This collaboration enables us to support ScottishPower  in delivering zero-carbon alternatives to traditional gas boilers, addressing the growing demand for sustainable energy solutions.

 

Our engineers are already on the ground, installing heat pumps for ScottishPower's Smart Solutions division. This comes as the industry works hard to keep up with the rising demand for heat pumps, with the Government recording an uptick of nearly two-fifths (39%) in grant applications at the start of 2024. 

 

Meanwhile, the number of individuals qualifying as heat pump installers has risen to an all-time high, as the Heat Pump Association finds that the total number of installers increased by 166% in 2023 compared with 2022 – from nearly 3,000 in 2022 to over 10,000 in 2023. [1]

 

Government figures suggest demand for heat pumps surged after the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero increased the heat pump grant available to households by 50%. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme saw over 2,000 applications for heat pump grants in January 2024, a year-on-year increase of almost two-fifths (39%). [2]

 

The demand for heat pumps is clear, and ScottishPower's Smart Solutions division has already completed over 2,000 installations in the past 18 months. Many of these projects benefited from government grants like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and ECO4, making heat pumps more accessible, especially for lower-income households. It's an encouraging start, but there's still work to be done—only about 1% of UK homes currently have heat pumps, compared to 60% in Norway and 43% in Sweden.

 

Robert McGaughey, Head of Smart Heat and Cities, ScottishPower said: “We’re thrilled to see Plug Me In join our network of nationwide heat pump installers alongside Everwarm.
“With thousands installed by ScottishPower across England, Wales and Scotland, we know heat pumps are making a difference to customers across the nation, particularly those who rely on government support schemes to create warmer, healthier homes.
“As demand rises, driven by certainty for manufacturers and consumers alike, it is encouraging to see the transition to cleaner, electricity-powered technologies create new skilled green jobs at a time when many other sectors face significant challenges to their growth.”

 

Sam Peachman, Commercial Director, Heat at Plug Me In, said: "Here at Plug Me In, we understand the importance of training and upskilling the next generation of clean energy installers. This is why every technician goes through our in-house Academy, making sure they are equipped with in-depth clean energy technology expertise.
As our nation's homeowners join the movement to cleaner energy, we are delighted to partner with ScottishPower in our shared mission to drive to net zero, supporting homeowners with practical advice and reassurance, as they start their journey to a cleaner energy future."

Together with ScottishPower, we're committed to closing that gap in adoption. We're working towards a future where heat pumps are the norm in UK homes, reducing carbon emissions and creating warmer, healthier living spaces. This partnership is more than just business; it's about building a sustainable future, supporting green jobs, and ensuring the green skills needed for this transition are readily available.

 

Installing heat pumps is part of ScottishPower’s drive to decarbonise homes across the UK. Residential properties account for 16% of the UK’s total carbon emissions. 

 

Heat pumps are recognised as a crucial solution to support the country’s roadmap to Net Zero, reducing household emissions by moving away from fossil fuel heating technologies, by the Climate Change Committee. 
By expanding its network of qualified installers, ScottishPower hopes to drive the growth of the UK’s heat pump market as it meets growing demand from customers.

 

The Green Skills Outlook, earlier research from Economist Impact and ScottishPower parent company, Iberdrola, shows almost two-thirds of business leaders think the green transition will create more jobs than it eliminates, with three quarters (74%) saying that the jobs it creates will be higher quality for workers. [3]

 

To ensure a supply of green skills in the labour market, business leaders think lawmakers should prioritise three important policies. Almost half (48%) want to see green skills courses established at educational institutions, for example, through strategic funding. Over two in five (46%) say support to invest in upskilling or reskilling programmes would help, while a further 41% would prefer adapting existing work and training programmes for the unemployed, to increase the emphasis on and support for green skills.

 

Plug Me In is proud to be part of this journey. With ScottishPower, we're not just installing heat pumps; we're driving a movement towards a sustainable future. Our teams are ready to meet the rising demand, and we're excited to continue helping homeowners across the UK make the switch to cleaner, more efficient heating solutions.

 

[1] Heat Pump Association, Data on qualified heat pump installers, March 2024
[2] Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Boiler Upgrade Scheme, January 2024
[3] Iberdrola and Economist Impact, Green Skills Outlook, 2024