Get hybrid-ready with free Daikin training

Daikin is providing free training on hybrid heat pumps to help gas engineers tap into this market. Available until the end of 2021, the one-day training takes place at 11 of its Sustainable Home Centres across the UK and will give engineers the skills and knowledge to offer hybrid heat pumps to homeowners looking to start their decarbonisation journey.

Hybrid heat pumps combine a gas boiler and heat pump, working together to provide heating and hot water, and Daikin says they’re the ideal replacement for a combi boiler as a first step towards renewable heating. Iain Bevan, commercial manager, Heating & Renewables, says: “The UK’s transition to low-carbon heating is under way, and it’s vital that installers have the skills and knowledge to be a part of it.

“Hybrid heat pumps are an attractive solution for installers and homeowners who want to go green, combining the power of a heat pump with the familiarity of a boiler. Their installation, commissioning and service is similar to traditional gas or oil boilers, as is their operating menu, thermostat unit and heat output.”

The manageable upfront cost of a hybrid system is one of its key selling points, as is the easy installation process, which minimises disruption to the customer. Hybrid heat pump systems can be installed with a household’s existing boiler but Daikin has also launched a special offer in which every system includes a brand-new, high-performance boiler, free of charge.

The company says hybrid technology is best suited to smaller homes in urban areas that are likely to have a combi boiler, and where the building fabric is not energy efficient enough to be heated by a fully renewable system. As the efficiency of the building is improved and upgraded over time, the hybrid system’s operation mode can gradually be shifted to more renewable heat pump share. 

Iain adds: “We firmly believe in hybrid heat pumps’ potential to support a faster, easier and more affordable transition to low-carbon heating – not to mention the business opportunity they represent for installers.

“Last year, around 1.1 million combi boilers were installed in the UK: that’s our target market. We look forward to welcoming the next generation of installers to our Sustainable Home Centres to complete their hybrid heat pump training, and we will encourage them to join our Sustainable Home Network if they haven’t already, so we can send leads their way and help them enjoy a competitive advantage.”