Sales of residential heat pumps went up 25% in the first quarter of 2026 in France, Germany and Poland on average. This includes the period after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz on 2 March, massively pushing up gas and oil prices.
Overall, a total of around 575,000 units were sold in 11 European countries from January to March 2026, giving a 17% increase compared to 494,000 in the same period and countries in 2025.
The overall average was brought down by Austria, whose sales dropped 30% due to the lack of government subsidies.
While there are many factors at play including the state of the national subsidy scheme, national experts cite rising energy prices and the fear of energy insecurity as important reasons, which apply particularly from March.
Paul Kenny, European Heat Pump Association Director General said:
“If your streaming service doubled its price then blocked its movies you’d find a better one. Consumers have realised heat pumps are the solution when gas and oil are erratic in price and supply. The EU Commission has outlined important steps to help people get a heat pump in its energy crisis plan, from VAT and tax reductions to supporting social leasing for poorer households. EU governments must rapidly enact what they can.”
