Industry delivers heat pump roadmap
11th June 2023BELGIUM: The EU Heat Pump Accelerator, the industry’s roadmap of the barriers facing the heat pump sector – and solutions to overcome them – has been delivered to the European Commission.
The 16-page document was handed over to EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson last week by the coordinators of the initiative, the European Heat Pump Association and the European Climate Foundation.
The Heat Pump Accelerator was drawn up by 23 organisations, including industry, governments and NGOs, to advise the European Commission over its intention to publish a heat pump action plan by the end of this year.
Thomas Nowak, secretary general of the European Heat Pump Association remarked that with Europe closing its door on fossil fuels, heat pumps are now recognised as having a crucial role.
“We thank the European Commission for receiving the Accelerator and urge it to take heed of its recommendations,” he said. “Above all, the sector needs a clear signal from policy makers of their long term support.”
The barriers identified in the EU Heat Pump Accelerator document range from upfront and operational costs, to lack of clear information for consumers, to the shortage of installers. The five overarching solutions proposed are to make clean heating the standard; support European industry leadership; increase energy system integration with flexible heat pumps; make it easier for consumers in terms of information and affordability and develop the required skills and workforce.
The contributing organisations are:
Agora Energiewende; Daikin Europe; Danfoss; the Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS); EIT InnoEnergy; Energy Cities; European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE); Eunomia; Eurelectric; European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD); EuropeON; GCP Europe; Glen Dimplex; Government of the Netherlands (Ministry of the Interior, Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy); International Energy Agency; Natuur en Milieu; Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP); Samsung Electronics; SmartEN; Stiebel Eltron; The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC).
The Heat Pump Accelerator document can be read and downloaded here.