Heat pumps & Co. - Fewer heaters sold - sales of heat pumps halved
The demand for new heating systems in Germany has continued to decrease. According to the German Heating Industry Association (BDH), sales in the first five months of the current year were down 39% compared to the previous year, with 325,000 units sold. The decline was particularly noticeable in heat pumps, where the number of units sold was cut in half to 74,000. Gas and pellet heating systems were also significantly less popular. However, there was a 25% increase in oil heating systems, which accounted for approximately 15% of the market.
The BDH attributed the overall development to purchasing hesitancy, which it said arose from discussions about the Heating Law of the traffic light coalition in the federal government. "The uncertainty about heating modernization is still large," explained BDH managing director Markus Staudt. In addition, it was not clear enough which technical solutions the law would allow.
The German government's goal of installing 500,000 heat pumps in Germany annually from 2024 is likely to be missed: The association forecasts sales of only 200,000 heat pumps by the end of the year. Staudt criticized that some companies had invested billions to build additional production capacity. The association's representative called on politics to take "swift measures".
- Despite the decrease in demand for heating systems, the Federal Ministry of Economics in Germany is planning to introduce a new Heating Law, aiming to increase the use of energy-efficient solutions such as heat pumps.
- The real estate market in Cologne has seen a shift towards energy-efficient solutions, with many homeowners considering investing in heat pumps to meet the requirements of the upcoming Heating Law.
- Consumers are showing growing interest in heat pumps, not only for their energy-saving potential but also due to the financial incentives offered under the German Heating Law.
- The Federal Ministry of Economics has proposed a paragraph in the Heating Law that encourages real estate owners to install heat pumps, offering tax benefits to those who comply with the new regulations.
- Despite the slow sales of heat pumps so far, the Federal Ministry of Economics believes that the Heating Law will significantly boost the demand for these devices, contributing to Germany's overall energy efficiency goals.
