The Numbers Are In
According to the European Heat Pump Association's (EHPA) 2026 market report, 2.88 million heat pumps were sold across 21 European countries in 2025 — a 13% increase from 2.56 million in 2024.
While this remains below the record 3.31 million units sold in 2022 and 3.19 million in 2023, the data confirms a recovery trajectory after two challenging years.
Energy Security: The Hidden Story Behind the Sales Numbers
The real headline is not just about sales volume — it's about what these heat pumps replace.
EHPA's analysis reveals that the 29.3 million heat pumps now installed across Europe provide as much heat as the LNG carried by over 200 tankers.
In 2025 alone, the 2.9 million new heat pumps replaced 2.5 billion cubic meters (bcm) of liquefied natural gas — equivalent to approximately 24% of the EU's LNG imports from the Middle East.
This shift avoided €9.7 billion in import costs last year.
Paul Kenny, EHPA Director General, commented:
"Every heat pump installed is another bolt in the door of European energy security. LNG is the most expensive energy source and comes from unreliable suppliers, and heat pumps can drastically reduce our need for it."
Country Breakdown: Who Led the Market in 2025?
By year-on-year growth:
| Country | 2025 Performance |
| Germany | +50% — Record year; heat pumps reached 50% of the space heating market for the first time |
| Denmark | 36% |
| Lithuania | 46 sales per 1,000 households (highest sales density) |
By total units sold:
| Country | Units Sold (2025) |
| France | 528,000 |
| Italy | 423,000 |
France remains the country with the highest total installed heat pump stock in Europe (around 7 million), followed by Italy (under 5 million).
Relative to population, Norway leads with 650 heat pumps per 1,000 households, followed by Finland with just above 540
What's Driving the Recovery?
After a 2024 slump, several factors contributed to 2025's growth:
Germany's surge (+50%) — A record-breaking year that saw heat pumps capture 50% of the national space heating market for the first time.
Policy stability — Stable government support schemes are rebuilding consumer confidence.
Energy price volatility — Consumers are increasingly viewing heat pumps as a hedge against erratic gas and oil prices.
EHPA noted that the first quarter of 2026 saw sales continue to rise, with Q1 2026 growth at 11% across 11 countries compared to Q1 2025 — and residential sales already up 17% in the same period.
However, the recovery is uneven. France and Italy saw year-on-year declines in 2025 despite maintaining the highest total volumes, while Poland and Austria also recorded drops. The analysis also notes that 14 of the 18 reporting countries saw sales increase year-on-year — meaning the majority are growing, even if some key markets are not.
Energy Security and LNG: A Closer Look
The 200-tanker figure is not just a marketing statistic — it is a direct measure of how heat pumps are reshaping Europe's energy import needs.
EHPA's analysis applied a conversion factor: the 22.88 bcm of gas saved by the EU's installed heat pump stock represents the displacement of over 200 tanker-loads of LNG.
This is double the amount of LNG that arrived in the EU from the Middle East in 2025, and around 7% of the EU's total annual imported LNG.
What's Next? The Policy Agenda
The European Commission is currently preparing a non-legislative electrification package, due in July 2026. EHPA is pushing for this package to include measures that push Member States to reduce taxes and VAT on heat pumps and electricity.
For heat pump exporters, the policy signals are clear:
Energy security is now a central driver of heat pump policy, not just climate goals
Germany is the market to watch — its 50% market share is a milestone that signals mainstream adoption
France and Italy remain the volume leaders by total units, despite slower growth