Four energy and heating industry chiefs have written to Greg Barker to express concern over possibly “damaging” consequences to their sector because of current energy policy.

They are worried the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) – which gives payments out to firms and homes generating renewable heat – won’t include air to water heat pumps for at least another year.

In the letter, the heating chiefs said they “urgently” need to discuss with the energy minister “suggestions by officials that the Government might renege on the previous Secretary of State’s commitment to include Air to Water commercial heat pumps in the RHI in October 2012”.

The letter was signed by Dave Sowden, Chief Executive of The Micropower Council, Roger Webb, Director of the Heating and Hot Water Industry Council, Kelly Butler, Marketing Director of energy and power trade body BEAMA and Tony Bowen, President of the Heat Pump Association.

They went on: “The consequence of not introducing air to water heat pumps in autumn 2012 is likely to result in a further year of damaging market distortion due to the unfair competition resulting from the current situation.”