Bristol City Council is hoping to spend £3.3 million on fitting about 200 heat pumps in larger houses in Westbury-on-Trym. The two-year project would see wealthier homeowners given cash and support to replace their gas boilers, cutting their carbon emissions and energy bills.
The council chose Westbury-on-Trym for the project as people there tend to be richer, live in larger houses, and use more energy than average Bristolians. The project will focus on training and building up a local supply chain, eventually installing heat pumps across Bristol.
Replacing gas boilers in homes with heat pumps is considered important because natural gas is a fossil fuel, which emits greenhouse gases and contributes to climate change. The cabinet heard that the council has bid for government funding, on Tuesday, February 7.
