Having won the UK general election by securing 411 out of 650 seats in the House of Commons, the new Labour government has a strong mandate for ambitious climate action and green investment. Labour pledges include a clean power system by 2030, setting up Great British Energy and a National Wealth Fund to help decarbonise industry, and building an international Clean Power Alliance.

Following the announcement of the general election result, industry leaders have outlined their priorities for the new government.

Overall, there has been broad agreement among them that the result could present opportunities for businesses operating in the heating and renewable energy sectors, but that policy clarity and consistency will be vital to maximising these benefits.

Charlotte Lee, chief executive of the Heat Pump Association:
“On behalf of the Heat Pump Association and its members, I extend my congratulations to the newly elected government. We stand ready to engage, support and collaborate closely to achieve our shared goals of reducing carbon emissions and advancing the widescale deployment of heat pumps in the UK.

“The transition to low-carbon heating is critical in addressing climate change, and heat pumps are a cornerstone of this transition. We urge the new government to pursue robust, clear regulatory changes and policy developments that remove unnecessary barriers to the widescale deployment of heat pumps, such as the implementation of the Future Homes Standard, changes to permitted development rights and provide clarity on the future of the Clean Heat Market mechanism. Additionally, it will be vital to reduce the upfront and running costs of heat pumps to make the lowest carbon heat the lowest cost heat. Steps should be taken to consult on how best to rebalance electricity and gas prices with the aim of making electricity cheaper.”

Griff Thomas, MD for GTEC & Heatly:
“With a strong focus on improving home standards, including bringing rental properties up to band C, there should be plenty of opportunities for installers in the building services and energy efficiency retrofit sectors. What’s most important is that we stick to the programme, flip flopping of environmental policy is extremely damaging and dents confidence in installers and consumers. I would like to see the plan for our path to Net Zero set for the next ten years.”

Mark Krull, director for Logic4training & LCL Awards:
“It’s clear that change was what the British public wanted, let’s hope its for the better and Labour delivers on its promises. Some of its environmental policies look particularly interesting, such as the Local Power Plan and Great British Energy, encouraging a community approach to net zero that should provide a boost to local installers; all of the policies outlined relating to our sector will call for a trained and expanded workforce.”

Mark Wilkins, technologies and training director at Vaillant:
“As a UK manufacturer, there is a sizeable green opportunity that net zero presents, providing new jobs and investment to support the critical reduction in carbon emissions. While there is no silver bullet, heat pumps are key in heating the UK’s future housing stock.

“The skills gap is apparent in the industry and focus must be given to support the upskilling and reskilling of new and existing heat pump installers nationwide. In particular, the industry must look to increase the number of apprentices in the trade. We eagerly await Labour’s apprentice levy reform to support the younger generations, helping to drive the number of engineers in the UK.

“According to the previous government, approximately 80% of the UK housing stock is suitable for a heat pump installation, however, some of these properties could be considered as complex to decarbonise and need fabric improvements for a heat pump system to be efficient. We therefore welcome the new government’s manifesto pledge of £6.6 billion into the Warm Homes Plan, which will aim to upgrade 5 million homes and cut bills for families through insulation and other measures, including heat pump installs.

“Engaging consumers must be a priority for the new government, heat pumps are the lowest carbon heating solution and therefore, should reward homes with lower energy cost-savings. We urge the new government to make the rebalancing of gas and electricity tariffs a priority, encouraging more consumers to upgrade to a heat pump in order to meet decarbonisation targets.”

Thomas Farquhar, co-Founder and chief operating officer of Heatio:
“The election result shows people want change. High energy prices – a key driver of inflation – hurt the consumer most while strangling the economy. Yet, we have been dangerously reliant on fossil fuels, leaving us vulnerable to the whims of other countries ethically, ecologically, and economically.

“The Labour manifesto promised to lower the cost of energy through renewables, accelerating to net zero by making Britain a clean energy superpower. Labour recognises how critical it is to upgrade our creaking National Grid as more people buy electric cars and turn to renewables for home energy.

“After years of climate change and energy security being used as a political football, we now need the new government to take immediate action. Promises must be put into action. Time has run out to use energy security, lower bills and net zero as political footballs, we need a consistent, unified approach to this huge cost of living driver and national security issue. More support is needed for people to adopt clean technology around the home. With winter just around the corner, now is the time for the new government to show strong leadership both immediately and in the long-term, and show the rest of the world that the UK won’t be left behind.”

Shaun Hurworth, marketing director at Dimplex UK:
“We are encouraged by Labour’s pledges to invest in renewable energy infrastructure and incentives for businesses and households to adopt net zero technologies. Dimplex has a long-standing dedication to innovation in this area, and our advanced heat pump systems, storage heaters and smart home solutions have a major role to play in enabling the energy transition whilst reducing energy consumption and costs to consumers.

“However, the industry needs clarity and consistency in policy to help maximise the benefits. In particular, Dimplex would call on the new government to implement their Warm Homes Plan and create demand for clean heating, close the spark gap and make the lowest carbon energy the cheapest energy, and recognise thermal storage as an energy-saving material for reduced VAT.

“We are optimistic that these initiatives will driving forward-thinking solutions and maintain the UK’s position as a leader in green technology.”