The consortium brings together over two dozen organisations from the global energy sector, united in their commitment to energy security and the low carbon transition.
As a founding member, Ideal Heating will focus on improving the interaction of its heat pumps with other energy devices and smart technologies in the home.
By enhancing communication between these systems and the electricity grid, Ideal aims to optimise efficiency, support flexible tariffs, and reduce customer costs.
Collaborating for a smarter energy ecosystem
Andy Farquhar, senior product manager at Ideal Heating, highlighted the benefits of this collaboration: “Heat pump technologies give customers a new opportunity to access cheaper, flexible electricity tariffs, while comfortably heating their homes.
“We want our customers to be front and centre of product development and innovation, so they can benefit from adopting low carbon technologies and supporting the drive to net zero.
“Being part of the Mercury Consortium enables us to work with the wider industry to ensure our products work intelligently with energy providers, helping customers save money and heat their homes efficiently.”
Maximising efficiency through integration
Jason Hookey, chief digital officer for Groupe Atlantic’s UK, Republic of Ireland, and North America operations, said:
“Heating is one of the biggest consumptions of energy in a home.
This collaboration is about understanding how, if you then add something like solar panels or an EV charger, these systems interact with your heat pump to further improve efficiency and maximise cost savings.
“We need to be a responsible part of the wider energy ecosystem. The future of all products is going to be connected, and the simpler we can make that for both the customer and the installer, the better.
“We’re part of that energy jigsaw, and we all need to work together to reach net zero quicker, while maintaining energy security and keeping homes warm.”
Pioneering investment in heat pumps
Ideal Heating’s participation in the Mercury Consortium builds on its £60m investment to transition from gas-powered boilers to low carbon solutions. This includes a £12m investment, supported by £5.2m of government funding, for large-scale heat pump production in the UK.
Image: Ideal Heating