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The European Heat Pump Association is urging the EU to give heat pumps a dedicated European Partnership and priority status in Horizon Europe’s proposed €175bn, 2028–2034 research programme. The programme is still subject to negotiations in 2026 and 2027, and no decision on the association’s request has been reported.
The European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) is asking the EU to make heat pumps a priority in its proposed €175bn Horizon Europe research programme for 2028–2034, including through a dedicated European Partnership. The request concerns the successor to the current research funding cycle, but the programme’s priorities remain subject to negotiations between EU member states and the European Parliament.
EHPA wants heat pumps to be named as a dedicated thematic priority and covered across their technologies and applications. It argues that a European Partnership could set a shared research agenda and provide longer-term, more predictable funding, with the EU and industry, research organisations and national funders co-financing work over several years.
The association identifies research areas including efficiency improvements, new refrigerants and lower costs, as well as integration with energy grids and applications of heat pumps in high-temperature industrial processes. It proposes that research priorities be organised around cost competitiveness, environmental contribution, energy-system integration and market uptake.
EHPA also calls for heat pumps to be recognised as a strategic technology in EU policy. Its proposed package extends beyond the research partnership to include a heat pump working group under the Strategic Energy Technology plan, attention within existing work on buildings and industry, a continued heat pump accelerator platform and a net-zero industry academy focused on the technology.
How Dedicated Funding Could Help
The decision would shape whether heat pumps receive a distinct place in the EU’s next major research funding cycle, rather than relying only on broader programmes. A dedicated partnership could give researchers and companies a shared agenda and a longer funding horizon for technical work that can span multiple years. That is the case EHPA is making; the request itself does not establish that such a partnership will be created or that it would produce particular results.
The association’s proposal also links research to industrial policy and deployment funding. It says a heat pump research priority should connect with the European Competitiveness Fund and funding instruments aimed at deployment, including the Industrial Decarbonisation Bank. If adopted, that approach could connect research and industrial development more closely. The source report does not specify funding amounts for a heat pump partnership or explain how money would be allocated within the €175bn programme.
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Horizon Europe’s Next Funding Cycle
Horizon Europe, also referred to as FP10, is the EU’s 10th research and innovation framework programme. The proposed 2028–2034 cycle is intended to follow the current programme, which covers 2021–2027. A European Partnership is one instrument within the programme: EU institutions and participating organisations agree on research priorities and co-fund them over time.
According to the source report, the EU announced the proposed programme last year. Legislative negotiations between member states and the European Parliament are scheduled to run through 2026 and 2027, with the full programme targeted to begin in January 2028. That timetable leaves the design and priorities open to change before launch.
“EHPA calls on the European Commission to recognise heat pumps as a dedicated thematic priority, covering the full technology and application spectrum.”
— European Heat Pump Association, as reported by Cooling Post
The Request Is Not Yet a Decision
The available report describes EHPA’s proposal, not an EU decision to create a heat pump partnership. It does not say whether the European Commission has accepted the request, how member states or Parliament view it, or whether heat pumps will appear as a named priority in the final programme.
Details such as the proposed partnership’s budget, participating organisations, governance and research calls are also not provided. The exact content of Horizon Europe can change during the legislative negotiations, so the association’s requested priorities and supporting initiatives should be treated as proposals rather than confirmed programme commitments.
Negotiations Set the Next Milestones
The next formal stage is the planned 2026–2027 negotiations between EU member states and the European Parliament over Horizon Europe’s design. EHPA is urging the European Commission to include its requested priority and partnership in that process. The source report does not give a date for a Commission response or identify a specific decision point on heat pumps.
The full programme is targeted to start in January 2028. Until its terms are settled, it remains unclear whether heat pumps will receive a dedicated partnership, broader priority status, or support through other parts of the programme and related EU funding instruments.
Key Questions
What is EHPA asking the EU to do?
The European Heat Pump Association wants heat pumps named as a priority in Horizon Europe 2028–2034 and wants the programme to include a dedicated European Partnership for the technology.
What is Horizon Europe?
Horizon Europe, also known as FP10, is the EU’s research and innovation framework programme. The proposed 2028–2034 cycle is intended to succeed the current 2021–2027 funding period.
What research does EHPA want supported?
EHPA points to work on efficiency, refrigerants, costs, grid integration and high-temperature industrial applications. It also proposes priorities covering environmental contribution and market uptake.
Has the EU approved a dedicated heat pump partnership?
No approval is reported. The available information describes EHPA’s request; the programme remains subject to negotiations in 2026 and 2027.
When is the programme expected to begin?
The full Horizon Europe 2028–2034 programme is targeted to launch in January 2028, following the planned negotiations between EU member states and the European Parliament.
Source: coolingpost.com
