Decarbonising buildings is a key element of the transition towards a climate-neutral economy. However, Europe is falling behind on its 2030 targets. This project assesses countries’ readiness for the large-scale deployment of heat pumps as an effective zero-emission heating technology. Through a comparative analysis of support schemes in 10 countries, the Reform Institute identifies best practices and barriers, highlighting effective regulatory and financial frameworks for scaling up heat pump technologies and ensuring their affordability.
The project aims to develop a ranking of heat pump support policies across Europe and assess countries’ readiness to promote clean heating technologies.
As part of the project, national policy frameworks were analysed, with particular attention paid to financial support, affordability, and technology availability. The Reform Institute team developed a proprietary methodology to assess the quality of support instruments in nine European Union countries and the United Kingdom. The study combined detailed desk research with interviews conducted with experts from each country. This approach made it possible to identify implementation barriers and gaps in support schemes, as well as to assess the actual effectiveness of grants, tax incentives, and tariff mechanisms supporting the transition to clean heating technologies.
The project’s key output is an analytical report containing the first such detailed ranking of heat pump support systems in Europe. Based on the findings, the project provides recommendations for policymakers on simplifying procedures, improving communication, and better aligning support mechanisms with beneficiaries’ income levels.
The initiative contributes to greater transparency in decision-making related to the heating transition. The project’s findings support efforts to phase out fossil fuels in building heating and provide evidence for policymakers planning reforms of building renovation support programmes, such as Clean Air Programme (Czyste Powietrze).
The project was implemented with the support of Global Strategic Communications Council (GSCC).
