Ground source heat pumps in the UK - market status and evaluation

This paper reviews the status of the ground-source heat pump (GSHP) market in the UK and contrasts this with the more mature European markets (Austria, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland). The reasons for such a strong difference in GSHP installed capacity and the barriers that the UK market is facing are investigated. The paper presents a comparison of key facts and statistics from the UK and four nations with a strong GSHP market. A questionnaire was also designed and circulated in order to gain a greater insight into market inhibitors from those working in the UK GSHP industry. From the market assessment it is shown that GSHP development in the UK is some twenty years behind the other nations and received lower levels of support from government and utilities. A significant inhibitor appears to be the legacy of previous fossil fuel security in the UK. Feedback from the questionnaire suggests high capital costs are also a key factor