Advanced home technology provider Hive and heat pump maker Daikin have announced a long-term collaboration to make Net Zero easier by helping customers control their heat pump through the Hive app.
The collaboration will see Daikin Altherma 3 heat pumps integrated with the Hive devices to yield greater visibility for customers when controlling of home heating. This includes allowing homeowners to personalise heating schedules, track spending and set budgets, whilst also optimising their heat pump for use when electricity is cheaper and greener because there is low demand on the grid.
Customers will be able to control the usage of their heat pump via the Hive app, which is a whole home smart hub for connectivity across heating, lighting, batteries and electric vehicle chargers.
Both businesses will be trialling the integration later this year and have plans to roll out the product offering widely once the trial is complete.
Gail Parker of Hive said: “Domestic heating is one of the largest emitters of carbon in the UK and will require collaboration to address this challenge. As we integrate Daikin heat pumps with our market leading Hive technology, we are making electric heating affordable and simple by giving them the visibility they need to control their heat pump and energy usage.
“As we work towards heat pumps joining the Hive ecosystem of well-loved products, we’re providing customers with a simple way to see and manage all their devices in one easy to use app.”
Now part of British Gas, Hive launched in 2013 and claims am installed base of 2 million thermostats, enabling householders to lower their carbon footprint.
For Daikin, Iain Bevan, its director for residential new business, commented: “If the UK is going to hit its legally binding commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2050, we have to decarbonize domestic space and water heating. Combining a smart controller, like Hive, with a low carbon heat pump not only gives people more control, it can also help them get the perfect temperature and save them even more money at the same time.
“Daikin is excited to be working with Hive to fully integrate their smart controller technology with our market leading heat pump technology. This collaboration could help tens of thousands of people decarbonize their domestic heating, reducing their carbon footprint and help address climate change.”
As well as helping customers optimise their heat pump usage to make them more affordable, Hive and British Gas will shortly be launching a heat pump tariff. This will be intended to cut running costs and encourage the installation of heat pumps, still lagging at less than 40% of the rate required to reach the 600,000 parc targeted by government for 2028
