Energy prices are hitting another industry. Sales of these devices have dropped dramatically

Unpredictability – this is one term that perfectly describes the reasons for the decline in interest in purchasing and installing heat pumps.

– There is no boom at the moment. He was there two and three years ago. Currently, we are in a transitional situation when the customer is not really sure whether the heat pump, looking in the long term, is a correct solution that brings savings, so he is holding off on the decision – says Dariusz Wellenger, president of the management board of Gebwell, a Finnish company specializing in the production of and sales of heating and air conditioning equipment.

Sales of heating devices experienced a sharp decline last year. On the scale of the entire market, according to the Polish Organization for the Development of Heat Pump Technology (PORT PC), it decreased by over 1/3. In the single-family building segment alone, the declines amounted to approximately 40%. compared to 2022. Powerful braking up to 41%. also has the heat pump market behind it. Only ground pumps were above the mark with 12%. growth.

These market results are largely influenced by concerns about rising electricity prices. This is one of the reasons why the industry is calling for solutions that could help make decisions and accelerate the green transformation in buildings.

– Solutions should be introduced that will provide the customer with stability in the costs incurred when using, for example, heat pumps, over a period of time, perhaps several years, and this would certainly increase interest more and faster, says Dariusz Wellenger.

The Polish Organization for the Development of Heat Pump Technology in its optimistic forecast expects that in 2024 the industry will record an increase in device sales by a maximum of 1/5. According to experts, such a reading will be possible if several important conditions are met, such as stability and predictability of electricity prices.

Today, customers who want to install a heat pump can benefit from funding under the Clean Air program. Given the high volatility of energy prices, such support may not be enough to convince you to make a purchase.

– Photovoltaics experienced a boom for many years, not only because there were subsidies for the installations themselves, but also because there were very good contracts for the use and introduction of electricity. When these contracts and conditions changed, interest immediately dropped. So it is clear that a long-term approach to tariffs or prices that the customer will pay is more important than a one-off payment – says President Gebwell. – After all, customers are most concerned about the costs they will incur over the next 10 years of use. The situation with gas and electricity prices is, to put it bluntly, unstable. Gas prices are falling, so customers don't know whether this is a solution they should continue to maintain for some time.

On the other hand, it is often emphasized that electricity is currently subsidized, so it is difficult to determine the real price of electricity used by a household. Eliminating the aspect of uncertainty may have a positive impact not only on the industry, but actually on the pace of the green energy transformation. Especially since the European Union will soon force acceleration in this respect. As PORT PC points out, both the RED III and EED directives, amended last year, and the EPBD this year, emphasize the importance of heat pump technology in promoting the use of energy from renewable sources, increasing energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption in the European Union.