Europe Accelerates in Heat Pumps: Turkey Must Not Miss the Opportunity in Energy Transition

European heat pump sales increased 17% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026. Üçay Mühendislik drew attention to the fact that Turkey's energy transition should be approached not merely as equipment replacement, but as an integrated system encompassing solar energy, energy storage, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

In Europe, the transition from fossil fuels to electrical and high-efficiency technologies is accelerating in line with climate change mitigation efforts, rising energy costs, and energy supply security objectives. Heat pumps are at the center of this transformation.

According to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) 2026 World Energy Investment Report, heat pump sales in Europe increased 17% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period of the previous year. Preliminary data from the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) for 2025 also shows continued growth in the heat pump market. According to this data, residential heat pump sales in 16 European countries increased by an average of 10.3%, reaching 2.62 million units. The total installed base of heat pumps in Europe rose to approximately 28 million.

Heat pumps positioned at the center of energy transformation
Zafer Çüman, Executive Board Member and Director of Air Conditioning & Branches at Üçay Mühendislik, stated that the transformation in Europe should not be viewed merely as heat pumps replacing natural gas systems, adding that energy systems are being comprehensively reconsidered from production to consumption.

Çüman, noting that heat pumps are at the center of Europe's transformation, made the following assessment:

“Today's transformation in Europe should not be evaluated merely as heat pumps replacing natural gas boilers. What has been redesigned is not just equipment; it is the entire energy system spanning from energy production through storage, management, and consumption. Heat pumps are one of the most important components of this integrated ecosystem.”

Incentives and electrification policies support growth
Rising demand for heat pumps in Europe is driven by objectives to reduce carbon emissions, lower fossil fuel dependence, and promote systems compatible with renewable energy sources.

Çüman noted that public policies and incentive mechanisms play an important role in market growth, and stated that in some European countries, measures aimed at reducing the tax burden on electricity also support heat pump adoption.

Year-round energy solution
Çüman drew attention to the fact that heat pumps are not merely winter heating systems, noting that the technology can also meet cooling needs in summer and domestic hot water requirements.

Çüman continued:
“Heat pumps are not systems that provide heating only in winter. They also meet cooling needs in summer and domestic hot water requirements, providing a year-round solution. Thanks to these characteristics, they become an important technology that reduces energy costs for both individual users and commercial enterprises.”

Çüman noted that Turkey's climate diversity and renewable energy potential offer significant advantages for the widespread adoption of heat pump technologies, and emphasized that Turkey has strong potential in this transformation.

New equation in energy transformation: Solar + heat pump + storage + charging
Çüman, stating that integrated systems composed of complementary technologies will be decisive in the future of the energy sector, drew attention to the need for Turkey to plan its energy transition from today.

Çüman concluded:
“Energy transformation should not be evaluated merely as a transition to new equipment. In the future, solar energy systems, heat pumps, energy storage solutions, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure will form an integrated ecosystem that complements one another. Turkey's planning of this transformation from today carries critical importance both for energy security and sustainability.”

A critical opportunity for Turkey
The European heat pump market regaining strong growth momentum indicates that energy efficiency and electrification investments will be among the important agenda items for the air conditioning sector in the coming period. Turkey has significant potential in this transformation thanks to its renewable energy resources, diverse climate zones, and growing energy efficiency needs.