Both the Flanders region of Belgium and their neighbours in the Netherlands have taken steps to speed up heat pump rollout through partnerships with the industry. Flanders is focusing on heat pumps in renovations; the Dutch on social housing.
In Flanders nearly 70% of homes are technically ready for a heat pump, yet only about 10% of renovating households choose to install one. To tackle this and reach a 70% share of renovations with a heat pump, the Flemish government and industry associations have signed a ‘Heat Pump Charter’ which aims to make the technology more affordable, reduce electricity costs, and improve guidance for families planning renovations.
Measures include premiums of up to €8,000, low-interest or interest-free renovation loans, and better advice from public energy guidance services. On the industry side, efforts must be made to provide transparent quotations, improve installer skills and customer communication.
In the Netherlands, a coalition of housing corporations, heat-pump manufacturers, installers and government bodies have signed a declaration of intent to make heat pumps significantly cheaper for use in social rental housing.
The plan aims to halve the lifetime costs of heat pumps, including purchase, maintenance and replacement, making them financially viable for large-scale installation in properties managed by rental associations. Lower costs could in turn deliver lower energy bills for tenants and help social housing providers accelerate the shift away from gas heating.
Together, these efforts show the importance of working in coalitions to make clean heating technologies affordable and attractive, helping to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and carbon emissions from buildings, while protecting household budgets.
