Cost of Installing Heat Pumps Deterring 61% of Irish Households
Updated: Sep 26
Ireland: A new survey by Fuels for Ireland and the Alliance for Zero Carbon Heating found that the cost of installing a heat pump deters 61% of Irish households. Two-thirds of respondents have no plans to install a heat pump, with the figure rising to 75% in rural areas. The Irish Government has set a goal of installing 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes by 2030, with an interim target of 45,000 by 2025. Deputy Ossian Smyth reported in May that 16,600 heat pumps had already been installed, with about 90% of new builds equipped with them. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) currently offers low-cost retrofitting loans to help insulate homes, upgrade windows, and install heat pumps. Recently, AIB and Bank of Ireland announced even lower-cost retrofitting loans, with Credit Unions expected to join the initiative soon.
Despite these incentives, the Fuels for Ireland survey revealed that 33% of respondents are satisfied with their current heating systems and see no reason to switch. Other barriers to heat pump adoption include installation disruption (23%) and a lack of confidence in the technology (17%). The survey of 1,000 people, deemed nationally representative, also found that 70% of respondents supported the increased use of advanced synthetic and biofuels to reduce emissions without switching to electric vehicles (EVs) or heat pumps.
Source: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)