The military has shunned climate-friendly heat pumps in favour of cheaper, “cutting edge” boilers to warm soldiers’ homes.
Project Nixie, a Ministry of Defence (MoD) initiative, has worked on finding heat pump alternatives for barracks over the last three years.
The two-year project was launched after the Government found its domestic building stock was not suitable for the pumps, which have been touted as cheap, climate-conscious alternative to fossil-powered heating.
The department has only been able to fit them in a “very small proportion” of military homes.
Instead, the MoD will use cutting-edge boilers currently being used exclusively by just four households.
The Daily Telegraph has revealed that the MoD launched Project Nixie in 2020, and officials found cutting-edge Cylo boilers could serve as a high-tech suitable replacement for the pumps.
The fridge-sized boilers are emission-free and both more efficient and cheaper than their counterparts – which are becoming increasingly popular amongst the general British public.
The Telegraph has reported that the boilers are being fitted as part of a pilot study in properties within the Duke of Gloucester Barracks in South Cerney, Gloucestershire.
The project – which is due to start in early 2024 – has only outfitted four homes with the boilers so far.
Cyclo boilers are not commercially available and have only been sold to larger landlords, such as councils and Government departments.
Documents have shown the MoD paid £5,000 for each boiler, to a total of £20,000. A spokesman for the department said they could help reduce bills of armed forces personnel living on barracks.
They said: “If Project Nixie is successful it could have the potential to both reduce carbon emissions across the defence estate and reduce energy bills for service personnel and their families.
“We’re committed to delivering sustainable high-quality housing that meets the needs of those who serve our country.”
