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The contract awarded to BIT contains details of a previously unpublished research by the Department for Energy.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

  • @Blue_Morpho
    4•5 days ago

    Re: Paying extra for quiet Heat pumps

    Is air conditioning not a thing where you live?

    A heatpump is virtually identical to an air conditioner. A heat pump is an air conditioner with a reversing valve that generates no additional noise.

    • @[email protected]
      12•5 days ago

      If you look on a map, the southernmost part of the UK is north of Nova Scotia and at the same latitude as the Netherlands. Air conditioning is not a normal thing over there.

      Though, thanks to global warming, it’s starting to be used more and more.

      • threelonmusketeersEnglish
        4•5 days ago

        Latitude isn’t everything. The North Atlantic Current causes Europe to be warmer than an equivalent latitude in North America.

        • @[email protected]
          2•5 days ago

          You’re right, but Ireland, which is closer to the current while still being at the southern end of the UK, seems to see average summer high temps of 18-19 Celsius, based on a quick search. That’s only like the mid-60s (Farenheit).

          Actually, talking about it now, I know air conditioning is rare in the UK because I remember a few years ago, there was a major heatwave that caused a number of heat related deaths in the UK due to the lack of air conditioning in housing to control the high temperature and humidity, and it was only like 75 F.

    • @FelixCress
      10•5 days ago

      Air conditioning in private housing in England? To use it for one week in a year when the temperature actually goes over 20 degrees?

      • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝OPEnglish
        3•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.

        • @FelixCress
          1•5 days ago

          Did you mean to reply to someone else?

          • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝OPEnglish
            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.

            • @FelixCress
              1•5 days ago

              I was replying to a guy asking if we don’t have air conditioning in the UK houses.

              • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝OPEnglish
                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
                  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.

        • @FelixCress
          4•5 days ago

          Paint me stunned. That must be an exception to the rule.

          • threelonmusketeersEnglish
            3•5 days ago

            I never cease to be amused at how the English continue to be surprised that “summer happens” every year.

            • @FelixCress
              4•5 days ago

              Oh, I don’t question summer happening. It usually starts Wednesday around 11am and is over by Sunday evening.

                • @FelixCress
                  0•5 days ago

                  For three days, thus my point.

                  • @Blue_Morpho
                    2•5 days ago

                    Read the wiki article I linked. There were three heat waves in 2022. June for 2 days, July for two days and August for 6 days. It was enough to kill approximately 3000 elderly.

                    That doesn’t include the days in the high 80’s which can be uncomfortable enough to warrant ac.

    • @AlpacaChariotEnglish
      3•5 days ago

      Nobody has aircon in the UK! Hotels and extremely high spec flats only.

      Like others have said, you’d only need it for about 1 week per year, so why bother?