Heat Pump Sector Deal Expert Advisory Group: Scottish Government response

Recommendation 15

Government and industry need to work together to ensure consumer engagement with and acceptance of heat pumps.

Scottish Government Response

We recognise the importance of public engagement throughout our transition to net zero. For this reason, within our Heat in Buildings Strategy, we have committed to developing a new Heat in Buildings Public Engagement Strategy. Over the coming months, we will call for evidence from the wider landscape to help inform its development, and will publish the final strategy in 2023.

However, we recognise the urgency and need to act now to begin building public awareness and support for the heat transition, before the introduction of proposed regulations. On 3 November we launched a national marketing campaign to increase awareness and access to our domestic heat and energy efficiency advice and support service, Home Energy Scotland. Building on this, next year we will launch a National Conversation on the Heat Transition, and supporting public awareness campaign.

We will continue to explore any barriers to people being able to readily adopt new technologies, such as heat pumps – for example, related to user controls – and will use upcoming campaigns, and wider public engagement activities to begin myth busting potential misperceptions regarding zero emissions heating systems. Early delivery on this will be evidenced in the coming weeks through our upcoming online social media activity that focuses on "Home Energy", as part of our wider Net Zero Nation domestic climate change public engagement activities.

We will work with trusted messengers – including industry – to increase the reach and impact of our public engagement activities.

We will continue to offer our specialist advice service through Home Energy Scotland (HES)^[19], alongside the delivery of the Loan scheme.

Consumer protection will be vital in instilling confidence in green technology. As outlined in our Quality Assurance Policy Statement, we will ensure that any work carried out through a Scottish Government Scheme is done by an installer with the necessary standards, skills and certification.

We must ensure that installers are aware of policy developments throughout this transition and can provide a trusted voice to consumers. We are therefore re-launching the Sustainable Energy Supply Chain programme as the 'Green Heat Installer Engagement Programme', with a dedicated focus on working with installers in the heat and energy efficiency supply chain. More detail on this programme can be read in the Supply Chains Delivery Plan.