EDF has announced its strategic investment and partnership with Clacton-based CB Heating to advance its heat pump offering for its UK customers.

The utility will offer its three million customers an end-to-end heat pump installation through CB Heating’s Heat Pump Installer Network (HPIN).

EDF’s investment will also support the development of a Heat Pump Installers Network Academy, delivering training to upskill engineers across the country.

It cites recent estimates from the MCS certification board that the UK currently has less than 4,000 qualified heat pump installers compared to more than 100,000 gas engineers.

The Academy is said to have the potential to train up to 4,000 new heat pump installers from autumn 2022.

The announcement comes ahead of the UK Government’s launch of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which will provide customers with upfront grants of £5,000 to reduce the cost of installing eligible heat pump systems.

Lord Callanan, Business and Energy Minister, said: “With £5,000 grants becoming available through the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme, heat pumps are going to be the affordable, convenient and obvious choice for consumers looking to replace a gas or oil boiler.

“This will open up huge opportunities for private sector investment, which companies like EDF and CB Heating are already taking advantage of, ensuring installers are ready to help households move to cleaner heating to keep their homes warm and avoid the volatile prices of fossil fuels.”