EUROPEAN HEAT PUMP ASSOCIATION

Their core work

EHPA is the Brussels-based industry association representing the European heat pump sector. In H2020 projects, they contribute policy expertise, market intelligence, and workforce development — bridging the gap between technology developers and the regulatory/skills landscape needed for deployment. They shape heating and cooling roadmaps at the EU level, support technology validation in industrial and building applications, and drive professional training standards for heat pump installers and designers.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Early H2020 work (2016–2018) concentrated on industrial heat pump technology — waste heat recovery, high-temperature applications, mechanical vapour recompression — alongside policy roadmaps for national heating strategies. From 2019 onward, the focus shifted decisively toward deployment enablers: digitalisation, sector coupling, deep building renovation, and especially workforce skills and competency development. This reflects a maturation from "proving the technology works" to "making sure Europe can actually install it at scale."

EHPA is moving from technology advocacy toward workforce readiness and large-scale deployment support, making them an ideal partner for projects focused on market uptake and installer training.

How they like to work

EHPA participates exclusively as a consortium partner — never as coordinator — which is typical for an industry association contributing policy intelligence, dissemination, and market access rather than leading technical R&D. With 110 unique partners across 20 countries in just 8 projects, they operate as a network hub, connecting diverse consortia of research institutes, technology developers, and utilities. Their value lies in providing sector-wide legitimacy, market data, and access to the heat pump industry's membership base.

Extensive European network spanning 110 unique partners across 20 countries, reflecting their role as the continent's heat pump industry voice. Their consortia typically include a mix of technology developers, utilities, research institutes, and national energy agencies.

What sets them apart

EHPA is the single pan-European voice of the heat pump industry, which gives them unmatched reach into national markets, policy circles, and the installer workforce. Unlike technology developers or research labs, they bring sector-wide market intelligence, regulatory insight, and access to thousands of member companies. For any consortium targeting heat pump deployment, policy impact, or skills development, EHPA adds credibility and dissemination reach that individual companies simply cannot match.

Highlights from their portfolio

• DryFiciency
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 164,250) — demonstrated high-temperature industrial heat pumps for waste heat recovery in real drying processes, a technically demanding application.
• REWARDHeat
  Most recent and ambitious DHC project (EUR 154,375), combining geothermal energy, waste heat, digitalisation, and sector coupling for competitive district heating networks.
• HP4All
  Directly targets the critical skills gap for heat pump installation in nearly-zero-energy buildings — a strategic priority as Europe scales up heat pump deployment under the Green Deal.