The Edinburgh Boiler Company (EBC) is encouraging people to transition more quickly into renewables by installing hybrid heat pumps for free.

Grants of up to £7,500 are available from the Home Energy Scotland Scheme for eligible homeowners looking to replace their natural gas boilers with heat pumps.

The capital-based firm has pledged to do what it can to help with the lowering of domestic emissions and will absorb any additional costs that installations in regular-sized homes may accrue.

Operations director Dougie Bell (pictured above) believes the initiative underlines the company’s commitment to renewable energy.

He said: “We want to make hybrid heat pumps as affordable as possible and accessible for as many people as possible. Helping homeowners reduce their carbon emissions is a key focus for us this year. If there is a financial cost for us doing this, then so be it.

Using a hybrid heat pump takes advantage of renewable energy extracted from the air and can be a very efficient way of heating homes and providing hot water.”

He added: “People who have a hybrid air source heat pump system will have reliable heat all year round and they can take comfort knowing they will always be using the cheapest, most efficient option. 

Incorporating a renewable source of energy in this away helps people reduce their carbon emissions of their home, making it more climate-friendly, as well as their own personal carbon footprint.”

A hybrid heating system integrates a gas boiler with an air source heat pump, using smart technology to automatically determine the most energy efficient system to use based on current energy prices, outdoor temperatures, and indoor heat capacity. 

By making the most out of both systems, hybrid air source heating improves energy efficiency and safeguards homes from potential price increases on both electricity and gas, reducing a reliance on the unpredictable national grid and lowering energy bills.

Homeowners can apply for a standalone grant of £7,500 from the Home Energy Scotland Scheme to install heat pumps. Previously, applicants were required to sign up for a loan before they qualified for this funding but now have direct access to the money. Replacing the cashback element of the previous Home Energy Scotland funding offer with a standalone grant was pledged in the 2022-23 Programme for Government.

The Home Energy Scotland service, and associated funding, is managed by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) on behalf of Scotland’s national public energy agency, Heat & Energy Efficiency Scotland.