Heat pump sales in Germany jump 53 percent in 2022
Clean Energy Wire
The electrification of heating is gathering pace in Germany as sales of heat pumps increased by more than half last year. Sales rose 53 percent to 236,000 units, making heat pumps the technology with the highest growth rate in the market, according to heating industry association BDH and heat pump association BWP. The development is a “great step” towards the country’s target of installing 500,000 heat pumps per year from 2024, the industry groups said. But they added that further government support is needed along the entire value chain to reach this goal. “The German government must ensure support for investments by domestic industry in the development of production capacities,” BDH said. BWP also called for additional steps to lower power prices. "The market ramp-up is in full swing,” said the lobby group’s head, Paul Waning. “The target of 500,000 units set by the German government for 2024 is ambitious, but achievable."
BWP called on the government to quickly present the planned amendment of laws concerning energy use in buildings, in particular the rule that from next year every new heating system is to be operated with at least 65 percent renewable energies. “Heat pumps would become the standard solution to meet this requirement,” BWP said. Despite the strong growth of heat pumps, a majority of the roughly one million new heating systems installed in Germany per year still run on fossil fuels. Only in new buildings, heat pumps have already become the dominant heating technology.
The electrification of the heating sector and wider use of heat pumps are seen as key elements in making Europe more energy independent and to ensure that countries meet their climate targets. But a shortage of skilled workers and supply chain issues have slowed the roll-out of the technology in Germany, resulting in long delivery times. A vast majority of the country’s 40 million homes still use fossil fuel heating systems, and also require insulation to make them fit for a climate-neutral future.
