Firms given multi-million pound heat pump funding

The minister for energy consumers, Miatta Fahnbulleh (second from left), with Ideal Heating executives Steve Hairsine, Helen Villamuera and Jason Speedy

Two businesses, in Hull and Blackpool, have been awarded multi-million pound government funding to increase the production of heat pumps.

Ideal Heating, based on National Avenue, has been awarded £5.2m alongside cylinder manufacturer Gledhill. Both are subsidiaries of Groupe Atlantic.

Miatta Fahnbulleh, minister for energy consumers, visited Ideal Heating’s headquarters in Hull and national training and technology centre near the Humber Bridge to announce the money.

Jason Speedy, Ideal Heating’s chief operations officer, said the funding would "accelerate our plans for heat pump production" and described it as a "vote of confidence".

The government funding and a further £6.8m investment by Ideal Heating and Gledhill will enable the production of 115,000 air source heat pumps and indoor controls in Hull annually by 2030.

It will also enable production of 120,000 pre-plumbed hot water cylinders every year at the Gledhill site, within the same timescale.

According to government figures, heating the nation’s 28 million homes accounts for almost a fifth of all UK greenhouse gas emissions

Ideal Heating production director John Cook said the business is "embracing the technologies which will heat British homes and businesses for decades to come".

He added: “Ideal Heating has already seen one significant transformation, from coal to gas-powered products. Now, we’re evolving again to low carbon solutions."

The funding announcement is the first to come from the government’s Heat Pump Investment Accelerator competition, which aims to unlock private sector investment in the UK.

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