A HASLEMERE couple are encouraging people to go green this year and install heat pumps at their homes.

David and Kay White, of Inval, Haslemere, have installed an air source heat pump at their property to provide renewable energy.

The government is currently offering financial incentives to all people who do this, through the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

However, this scheme is closing to new applicants at midnight on March 31.

COP26 led to more media coverage on climate change last year, but Mr and Mrs White have been passionate about going green for a long time.

David said: “My career was with the government wildlife service. I worked for the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Council for Wales for 33 years, so that gave me the will to go green. Then I retired and we came back to Haslemere from Wales.”

David and Kay took a significant step on their eco journey in 2011, when they installed solar panels on their property.

David said: “We had nine solar panels put on, which was the most they could put on the roof. That’s generating electricity which we can use directly, and what we don’t use goes back into the grid.”

David explained a visit to a relative led to the installation of the air source heat pump.

He said: “We visited a cousin in Somerset who demonstrated their recently-installed heat system – and they were so pleased with it. What you pay for is the installation of the heat pump and a new hot water tank, and they take away anything redundant.

“It works by taking the heat out of the air outside and putting it into a pipe. It then goes to the hot water cylinder.

“You have to use electricity to run the pump so it’s not entirely green, but as we’ve got solar panels our own power should be running the pump.

“Since we’ve committed ourselves to this I’ve been talking to everybody I meet about it.

“Since the system has been up and running it has worked completely satisfactorily. We have no intention of lighting the fire again.”