Codrina Cretu

We need cheaper electricity to unlock a more effective fuel poverty strategy As fuel poverty rates remain stubbornly high, we call for a stronger role for low-carbon heat, cheaper electricity through levy reform and a move away from deep retrofits in hard-to-treat homes

Overall our response to the fuel poverty consultation argues that:

1. Heat pumps needs to play a bigger role,
2. Rebalancing levies resolves the tension between net zero and affordability,
3. Schemes should move away from “worst first” and treat a lot more homes.
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/we-need...

The Welsh Government must commit to planning reform so we can unleash clean heat We’re proposing three simple planning policies that could support Wales’ clean heat future

The current planning system is holding homeowners from getting a heat pump - adding additional complexity and cost.

But a recent consultation by the Welsh Government could provide a rare opportunity to reform planning priorities and align them with Wales’ net zero goals ⬇️

Meet the team at Nesta 👋

We sat down with Senior Mission Manager Andy Regan to explore his work in Nesta's sustainable future mission, looking at the ways we can speed up the shift to low-carbon heating in Wales.

Watch the full video to learn more ➡️ bit.ly/3CQa6jz

Had a lovely chat with @andymarsden.bsky.social about Visit a Heat Pump, and our work on clean heat neighbourhoods on @betatalk.bsky.social 's podcast. Thanks for having us!

1,000 people have now used VisitAHeatPump.com to see a heat pump in action 🎉

Visits have taken place up and down the country, with many visitors going on to install their own.

Want to see a heat pump in real life? Find a heat pump near you at: VisitAHeatPump.com

Great piece by my colleague @martinakavan.bsky.social on the differences in the way we consume energy, what drives those differences and outlines why understanding them is essential for designing fair policies 💸

Read the full report here: www.nesta.org.uk/report/seein...

Visit a heat pump Visit a heat pump near you in real life. See it in action and get your questions answered by heat pump owners.

6. The service works and has been steadily growing. 🚀
Since launching the service, we've been continuously improving it to make it easier to connect:
✅ Clear resources for hosts, visitors and installers
✅ Filters to find properties like yours
✅Features to help installers highlight their work

5. The platform helps build trust in installers. Nearly 200 installers featured, and visitors value their host's installer recommendations. Installers who share the platform with customers report visits leading to more business. If you're an installer, you can sign up today- it's completely free.

Visit a heat pump Visit a heat pump near you in real life. See it in action and get your questions answered by heat pump owners.

4. Word of mouth is powerful. 90%+ of visitors say they’d recommend VisitAHeatPump.com to others, and 3 in 5 have already shared the service with at least two people.

3. A visit can be the final push. Many visitors say it gave them the confidence to accept a quote and move forward with installation. It’s the nudge people need to act.

2. Visits make an impact. Visitors report much higher knowledge about heat pumps and increased confidence in making a decision after their visit. Personal, real-life experiences work better than sales pitches

1. Hosts matter. With 400+ hosts signed up, their lived experiences and social connection with visitors build trust. Hosts enjoy sharing their knowledge and seeing the impact they make.

Visit a heat pump Visit a heat pump near you in real life. See it in action and get your questions answered by heat pump owners.

6 months ago, @nestauk.bsky.social launched VisitAHeatPump.com to connect people with hosts who have heat pumps.
Since then, 600+ people have visited a heat pump and many have installed their own. Here are 6 lessons from our 6 months of running the service 🧵

@nestauk.bsky.social

The government just changed home heating rules - here’s what you need to know Recently announced reforms are much needed and will help boost clean heat

Good news for clean heat! Yesterday, the UK gov introduced its Warm Homes Plan, cutting red tape for heat pumps and improves space heating standards. But this is just the start—we still need reformed energy levies and affordable finance. See Nesta's breakdown: www.nesta.org.uk/blog/the-gov...

This is excellent news 👏

Few people know this: half of the world's energy use is for heat used in buildings and industry.

And almost all of it is from burning fossil fuels.

That's why we need to decarbonise heat if we want to stand a chance of meeting our climate targets.

These changes are long overdue, and will make a huge difference to householders. We wrote a piece back in March about why the current planning system wasn't working: www.nesta.org.uk/blog/plannin...

Seeing is believing The role of Visit a Heat Pump in increasing consumer confidence

My team @nestauk.bsky.social has designed and delivered Visit a Heat Pump, a UK-wide service to help people see a heat pump near them and learn first hand about what it's like to live with one.

6 months in we’re sharing what we’ve learnt: www.nesta.org.uk/report/seein...

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