Expert dialogue: International workshop on heat pump policies and market development

On 7 August 2024, during the 2024 China Heat Pump Industry Annual Conference, GIZ joined efforts with the China Heat Pump Association (CHPA), and the Energy Foundation to organise an international workshop on heat pump policies and market development in Shanghai. The event aimed to advance international policy dialogue on heat pumps and explore ways to further promote their adoption through policy tools. The event featured experts from Europe, Japan, and the U.S. who shared insights on the development of the heat pump industry in their regions, including policies and incentives to drive adoption.

They engaged with representatives from Chinese heating authorities, industry associations, research institutions, and enterprises to discuss the challenges facing China's heat pump sector and strategies to support its growth, contributing to the sector’s low-carbon transition and carbon neutrality goals. The Sino-German Energy Partnership (EP) highlighted Germany's measures to promote heat pump development, including a target to achieve 50% climate-neutral heating by 2030 and an annual installation goal of 500,000 heat pumps starting in 2024. Key to this effort is the updated Building Energy Act, which mandates that 65% of new heating systems use renewable energy.

At further subforums of the 2024 China Heat Pump Industry Annual Conference. EP contributed also with technical expertise, in particular on the use of climate-friendly natural refrigerants in domestic heat pumps based on research undertaken by the GIZ project cluster Proklima.