Hybrid heat pumps are not fulfilling their potential in European markets, but have the ability to become a key technology according to new research from Delta-ee. The report ‘The state of play of the hybrid heat pump market’, which looks at the technology that combines air source heat pumps and gas boilers, identifies the market opportunities and the barriers to uptake.
Lukas Bergmann, Delta-ee’s Manager of heat pump research, comments: “The barriers working against hybrid heat pumps include system complexity, uncertainty over running cost savings, pricing and a lack of knowledge and awareness of the technology among installers.”
The report identifies the UK renewable heat sector as one of three significant market opportunities in Europe, along with the French retrofit market and the Italian new build market. Delta-ee says with the right targeting of these segments and by addressing the key barriers to the technology, the market has a potential for more than 100,000 units per year. Less than 10,000 units were sold in Europe last year.
Hybrid heat pumps are now common in the portfolios of all major heating equipment manufacturers, including Worcester Bosch, Daikin, BDR Thermea, Viessmann, Vaillant and Ariston. With hybrid products offering the potential to achieve A++ ratings on the new Energy Label and being able to open up the gas boiler replacement market (worth an estimated €25 billion per year) for heat pumps, it is expected that these products will do well.
The analysis from Delta-ee, which features a comprehensive European sales survey as well as deep insight into the challenges and opportunities for hybrid heat pumps, concludes that unit sales are to at least quadruple by 2020.
For more information on this study, please email Andy Bradley, Director of Business Development, andy.bradley@delta-ee.com
