How can heat pump technologies tackle emerging global challenges while unlocking new opportunities? At the 2025 HPT TCP National Experts Meeting, thirty specialists from twelve countries came together to answer this question. Through dynamic presentations and collaborative workshops, participants explored innovative solutions for comfort cooling, agriculture, retrofitting, flexibility, and integrated energy systems. The outcome? A wealth of fresh project ideas that could shape the next wave of international collaboration and accelerate the transition to sustainable heating and cooling worldwide.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) Technology Collaboration Programme on Heat Pumping Technologies (HPT TCP) hosted its 2025 National Experts Meeting on 30 October in Nuremberg, bringing together thirty experts from twelve countries across academia, industry, and research institutes. Participants gathered to generate new ideas for international collaboration projects that align with the HPT TCP Strategic Work Plan 2023 to 2028. The meeting featured presentation sessions and an extensive ideation workshop structured around five thematic areas reflecting key challenges and opportunities for heat pump technologies.
A Meeting Focused on Innovation and Collaboration
The purpose of the meeting was to generate and further develop concepts that could evolve into new HPT TCP international collaboration projects. Participants received updates on project proposals and ideas already in the pipeline.
- Heat pumps for hydrogen and carbon capture
- Flexibility from Large-Scale and Aggregated Heat Pump Systems
- Enhanced miniaturized components
In addition, there was a full day of structured ideation workshops covering five key themes:
- Increasing demand for comfort cooling
- The role of heat pumps in agriculture
- Heat pumps in existing non-residential buildings and retrofitting challenges
- User perspectives and value chains
- Integration of Simultaneous Heating and Cooling and Thermal Storage
These themes were introduced by invited experts who outlined market gaps, technical barriers, and current needs before group discussions began.
Workshop Outputs and Emerging Project Ideas
The workshop produced a rich set of project concepts that are now under consideration for future HPT TCP international collaboration projects. The discussions around each thematic challenge captured insights on current barriers, ambitions, and paths forward for accelerating heat pump deployment across sectors.
Comfort Cooling in Different Climates
The growing global demand for cooling motivated a strong interest in advancing heat pump-based solutions for climate-resilient comfort cooling. Participants recognised that reversible heat pumps remain underused in cooling applications despite their high energy efficiency and the significant benefits of integrating cooling into whole building energy strategies. Early project ambitions include developing demonstrations of reversible heat pumps in warm and temperate climates, studying hybrid and passive cooling solutions, and exploring compact, low-noise unit designs suitable for dense urban environments.
Heat Pumps and Refrigeration Systems along the Food Chain
The food chain emerged as another important area where heat pump technologies could reduce fossil fuel dependence and improve overall energy performance. The discussions pointed to fragmented implementation across agriculture, cold chain logistics, food processing, and retail refrigeration. Participants identified strong potential for modular heat pump systems, greater use of natural refrigerants, and better recovery of waste heat along the chain. The level of interest reflects a shared recognition that the agriculture and food sector could be a significant focus area in the upcoming HPT work programme.
Heat Pumps and the EU Network Code for Flexibility
A project idea on heat pumps and the evolving EU network code for flexibility also generated notable momentum. Workshop participants highlighted regulatory ambiguity and the lack of coordinated system integration as major obstacles to harnessing the flexibility potential of heat pumps. A future project in this area would explore real-world use cases, challenges, and opportunities associated with integrating heat pumps into flexibility markets. Key themes discussed included developing standardised measurement methods, clarifying business models, and strengthening cooperation between grid operators and the HVAC industry.
Integration of Energy Storage and Flexible Heat Pumps
Another concept explored the integration of heat pumps with thermal storage, electric batteries, and vehicle-to-building interfaces. The group agreed that hybrid systems combining heat pumps with multiple storage technologies have strong potential to enhance system flexibility and reduce peak loads. However, interoperability challenges and the lack of integrated control strategies remain barriers. The discussions highlighted opportunities for demonstration projects exploring combined thermal and electrical storage, predictive controls, and the role of buildings as active energy hubs.
Heat Pumps in Combined District Heating and Cooling Systems
The experts expressed interest in developing project ideas on combined district heating and cooling systems that make use of integrated heat pump solutions. Participants noted that many district networks still treat heating and cooling separately, resulting in lost opportunities for heat recovery and system optimisation. A future project in this area would aim to demonstrate the benefits of simultaneous heating and cooling in public and commercial facilities, such as arenas, hospitals, and university campuses. It would also explore the use of digital twins, modular system designs, and optimised temperature management to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs.
A Strong Platform for New International Collaboration
The 2025 HPT TCP National Experts meeting demonstrated a strong international commitment to advancing heat pumping technologies across sectors. The workshop outputs will now inform the development of future HPT TCP Projects, supporting innovation in comfort cooling, agriculture, district systems, flexibility services, and hybrid energy solutions. The meeting confirmed that international collaboration remains essential for accelerating the global uptake of sustainable heating and cooling technologies.
If you are interested in taking part in or contributing to any of the project proposals or ideas, contact the Heat Pump Centre at hpc@heatpumpcentre.org