7th October 2024: Green tech company, Thermly, has found that of the 238,115 properties in Somerset, nearly half (44%) are not connected to the national gas grid. These “off gas” properties, which total 105,950, use alternative energy sources for heating and cooking.
Gareth Robertson, co-founder of Thermly: “Our data has uncovered a high number of homes in Somerset that aren’t connected to the gas network. This means that within Somerset alone, we have nearly 106,000 homes which are already using alternative forms of fuel, such as oil, LPG and direct electricity.”
The data, provided by Thermly Hub - which also provides the data for the UK’s Green Building Council’s (UKGBC https://ukgbc.org) national level housing analysis tool - also found that 95% of the off gas properties in Somerset would benefit from switching to a heat pump.
Gareth Robertson: “Off gas properties are perfect candidates to move to greener heating systems, such as heat pumps, which will see homeowners enjoy higher energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions. With so many of these off-gas properties in Somerset already heat pump ready, we are really heartened at the impact homeowners can have on their carbon emissions and energy efficiency if even a fraction of these install a heat pump in the coming months.”
In terms of specific towns in Somerset, Yeovil has the most off gas properties, with 11,150 (54% of all homes), with Bridgwater at 45% (8,393 homes) and Street (2,890) coming in behind. The full list can be found in the table in Notes to Editors.
Gareth Robertson: “To help us all move towards more greener forms of energy, we should all start to reconsider our choice of fuel with which we heat our homes. Helpfully, the UK Government offers grants to help make off-gas properties more energy efficient, including funding for insulation, heating upgrades, and renewable energy installations. At Thermly, we want to support homeowners in making planet positive decisions, so we are here to help install heat pumps quickly and easily. Together, this all enables an energy efficient, low carbon way to heat homes and futureproof them for years to come. “
Thermly has recently launched a competition in Somerset to give all homeowners a chance to win up to £15,000 towards the installation of a heat pump. Four runners up will be eligible for up to £9,500 towards the cost of a heat pump installation.
The competition launched on 16th September 2024 and all entries must be submitted by midnight on 11th October 2024.
To enter, homeowners must head to www.thermly.co.uk/winaheatpump and complete the simple form to enter. Details of the process, and all the applicable terms and conditions, can be found there too.
Once the competition closes, Thermly will email all eligible entrants to complete a heat pump readiness test, before a randomly selected shortlist of five households are notified that they have made the final stage. A survey will be carried out at all five homes, and then a winner picked at random.
Competition entry requirements and T&Cs can be found at www.thermly.co.uk/winaheatpump.
For further information or to request an interview, please contact Gareth Robertson or Philip Jackson at enquiries@thermly.co.uk.
For media assets, visit the Press Room.
Off-gas and heat pump data for specific areas in Somerset:
Area Property count Off gas properties Potential ASHP* installs in off gas properties Off gas properties % Off gas ASHP* potential % Bruton 1,083 559 543 52% 97% Castle Cary 4,003 815 769 20% 94% Curry Rivel 870 26 26 3% 100% Ilchester 826 317 260 38% 82% Langport 1,572 772 703 49% 91% Street 5,140 2,890 2,781 56% 96% Yeovil 20,690 11,150 10,571 54% 95% Glastonbury 4,284 2,432 2,328 57% 96% Wincanton 2,754 1,132 1,096 41% 97% Bridgwater 18,715 8,393 8,058 45% 96% Grand Total 59,937 28,485 27,135 48% 95% Data: Thermly Hub *ASHP: air source heat pump
A heat pump is a technology that is used to heat your home, instead of a conventional boiler. The proven technology used for heat pumps has been around for decades, making them a tried and tested way to heat homes in an energy efficient way, using small amounts of electricity to extract, move and enhance the heat that’s already in the air or ground - into your home. Heat pumps are three to five times more efficient – for every kWh of electricity used, heat pumps should generate 3kWh of heat for your home. This lowers your carbon emissions, removes reliance on fossil fuels like gas and oil, which is much better for the environment.
Founded in 2023, Thermly is a green tech company on a mission to change the way we heat buildings. Thermly helps householders make informed decisions so that they can move toward more sustainable energy choices.
With a team with over 20 years’ worth of experience in the energy and finance sectors, and in retrofitting buildings, Thermly simplifies decision-making, speeds up the whole process, matching property owners with trusted and certified installers in the local area.
For further information see www.thermly.co.uk.
