France's Heat Pump Market Drops as Second Homeowners Choose Alternatives
Updated: Jan 30
FR: After two years of strong sales growth, France’s heat pump market is witnessing a decline, with manufacturers like Saunier Duval cutting 225 jobs from its 730-strong workforce in Nantes. Despite government grants of up to EUR 9,000 (USD 9,384) for installations, sales have fallen due to subsidy changes, high costs, and concerns over noise. Builders of new homes and flats have reduced orders, impacting demand. While gas boilers remain cheaper and legal for replacements, they are now banned in new housing. In second homes, air-to-air heat pumps are used sparingly due to their quick heating advantage but require standby operation to maintain efficiency. Air-to-water systems, though effective, take days to warm a house, making them less suitable for short stays.
In many rural areas, second homes rely on traditional heating methods like open fireplaces or wood-fuel stoves, which are preferred for their efficiency and independence from central heating. Pellet stoves offer better heating but require dry storage. To supplement wood heating, electric radiators are commonly installed. Among these, radiating units are preferred in second homes due to their ability to heat rooms quickly, despite being more expensive to run than inertia units.
Source: The Connexion