£5 million government boost for Ideal heat pumps

Ideal Heating and Gledhill have received more than £5 million from the government to accelerate production of heat pumps in the UK.

The funding, from the government’s Heat Pump Investment Accelerator competition, will go to increasing the production capacity of monobloc heat pump units and controls at Ideal Heating’s site in Hull as well as hot water cylinders at Gledhill in Blackpool.

The two businesses have been awarded almost £5.2 million and have pledged a further investment of more than £6.8 million in heat pump production. The funding and investment will enable the production of 115,000 air source heat pumps and indoor controls in Hull every year by 2030, and 120,000 pre-plumbed hot water cylinders in Blackpool.

Jason Speedy, Ideal’s Heating’s chief operations officer, said: “This funding is a vote of confidence in our business and our position at the forefront of the industry’s move to low-carbon heating solutions.

“It will enable us to accelerate our plans for heat pump production and complements the broader programme of investment across our operations as we lead the industry to a greener, low-carbon future.”

Ideal Heating launched its first heat pump production line in Hull in August 2023.

Picture shows Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh with Ideal Heating executives. L-r: Chief financial officer Steve Hairsine, Engineering director Helen Villamuera, minister Miatta Fahnbulleh and chief operations officer Jason Speedy