Heating & cooling
EU energy ministers talk geothermal in Budapest
Est. 5minGeothermal energy is the first item on the agenda of an informal meeting of EU energy ministers on Friday and Saturday (16-17 July) in Budapest, where they will discuss how to overcome barriers to the deployment of this under-exploited energy source.
Member states push for faster decarbonisation of heating and cooling
Est. 3minOn Wednesday (15 May), 15 EU countries published a joint working document calling on the European Commission to prioritise the decarbonisation of heating and cooling, to increase the EU's energy independence and meet its climate targets.
Climate friendly Paris Olympic Games focused on low carbon, repurposed construction
Est. 5minThe Paris Olympic Games have opted for low-carbon construction and the repurposing of existing facilities for its sports infrastructure. The target is to produce half the emissions of the Rio and London games.
Paris Olympic Village getting climate fit for 2050
Est. 5minParis is getting climate fit for July's Olympic Games. The Olympic Village is vaunted as an experimental model showcasing adaptations France needs for 2050's climate shift, and Olympic athletes could be modelling future living for the rest of Europe.
France’s battle plan to produce one million heat pumps a year
Est. 3minThe French Minister of Economy and Energy, Bruno Le Maire, unveiled on Monday (15 April) the government's plan to revive its heat pump industry, which comes amidst a slump in European heat pump manufacturing.
Transforming our buildings: Europe’s path to sustainability
Est. 5minThe cities of Amsterdam, Stockholm and Nantes offer good examples of how meaningful progress towards decarbonising the building sector can be achieved, while advancing the EU's broader climate objectives, writes Irene García.
EU Parliament calls for European strategy on geothermal energy
Est. 4minA resolution adopted by EU lawmakers calls for a European strategy to accelerate the deployment and investment in geothermal energy.
European heat pump sales are collapsing
Est. 3minQuarterly sales figures of heat pumps in Europe are in a slump amid a 14% drop compared to last year’s quarter, which the industry says was caused by political uncertainty and dropping gas prices.
Europe starts the clock on greening Soviet-era heating grids
Est. 5minAs Europe aims to reach climate neutrality by 2050, transforming the massive pipeline networks heating millions of homes poses a huge engineering challenge.
EU reaches deal on exit schedule from climate-wrecking F-gases
Est. 4minLawmakers in Brussels have agreed on the dates by which heat pumps and electrical equipment must ditch fluorinated gases and switch to more climate-friendly alternatives.
F-gas revision: far more than a climate victory for Europe
Est. 6minSwiftly banning fluorinated gases (F-gases) will not only significantly curb the EU's climate impact, but also reduce its dependence on critical raw materials, and result in substantial savings for EU households, especially in the transition to decarbonised heating, writes Davide Sabbadin.
France treading carefully on gas boiler ban following German debacle
Est. 4minPrime Minister Élisabeth Borne has sketched a timetable to ban the sale of new gas boilers in France but decision-makers are treading carefully as some fear the government may face similar difficulties as Germany with its own phase-out plan.
Slovakia’s solar panels may not all be eligible for EU funds
Est. 2minFewer solar panels and heat pumps are expected to be funded through EU funds in Slovakia in the future as the environmental ‘do no significant harm’ principle will be among the criteria to apply for state funding from July. The change …
Why Austria has yet to pass its 2023 boiler ban
Est. 5minAustria's heating law, which aimed to ban new fossil-fuel heaters from 2023, has been stuck in parliament for months as the government has yet to obtain the necessary backing from the centre-left SPÖ.
EPBD: Time for political courage to protect citizens
Est. 6minThe Energy Performance of Buildings Directive has the potential to make a real difference in the process of decarbonizing the building stock, as long as high standards for zero emissions and minimum energy performance are maintained, writes Oliver Rapf.
German boiler ‘culture war’ looms large over EU buildings directive
Est. 5minAs final talks on the EU’s buildings directive kick off in Brussels, advocates of an ambitious reform are warning against a repeat of Germany’s boiler war that risks hindering ambitious climate action.
Heat pump ‘readiness indicator’ to evaluate savings for consumers
Est. 5minEurope’s power system will face additional strain in winter as the electrification of heating progresses, making the renovation of buildings an essential element to reduce strain on the electricity grid and optimise the performance of heat pumps.
Slovenia extends fuel price regulation by another year
Est. 2minThe Slovenian government has extended the existing system of partial regulation of motor fuel and heating oil prices for another year.
Slovakia’s gap in heat pump subsidies could ‘lose a year’ of progress
Est. 3minHouseholds in Slovakia postpone replacing their old fossil fuel boilers with greener heat pumps due to a six-month subsidy lag during a crucial period before the heating season, said Petra Čakovská of the Slovak consumer group SOS.
Germany aims to connect 100,000 buildings to district heating every year
Est. 5minThe high-profile political spat over the end of fossil fuel boilers in Germany may end up benefitting demand for connections to city-wide heating grids similar to those currently deployed in Berlin, with plans to connect 100,000 buildings every year.
German government resolves paralysis over heating policy
Est. 2minA controversial law banning fossil-fuel heating will enter the German parliament this week, the party leaders of Germany’s three-way coalition announced on Tuesday, resolving a months-long feud and blockade of government business. The legislation is a flagship policy of the Greens, …
Europe’s ‘heat pump valley’ takes root in the East
Est. 6minA global race has started to manufacture the millions of heat pumps needed to decarbonise heating, with Asian and East European countries taking a head start.
Opposition set to defeat Germany’s proposed 2024 boiler ban
Est. 5minGermany’s planned ban on new fossil heaters looks set to be defeated by staunch parliament opposition and could take as long as 2030 to come fully into effect. In 2021, the German government agreed to require new heaters to run on …
Naturally cool: Europe set to lead a climate revolution with refrigerants
Est. 6minEU lawmakers' push to phase down fluorinated gases may score the most significant climate victory of the decade and rid Europe's heat pump market of China’s imports, argues Davide Sabbaddin.