Heat pumps are a cornerstone technology for achieving secure, affordable and sustainable heating. Tracking and analysing the pace of heat pump deployment is essential for understanding future needs. However, data on heat pump installation, performance and cost remain fragmented and inconsistent. Therefore, IEA has published a proposed heat pump taxonomy – a common framework for heat pumps classification and data.
The Heat Pump Taxonomy Project was led by the IEA in collaboration with stakeholders from over 50 institutions, among them several representations from the Technology Collaboration on Heat Pumping Technologies HPT TCP), who has contributed to workshops and with data and review. The project developed a proposed taxonomy that focuses initially on heat pumps used as primary heating equipment in buildings, and that could be gradually expanded to other sectors, such as district heating and industries.
About the heat pump taxonomy
The heat pump taxonomy introduces a structured classification framework based on source, sink and product characteristics. Advancing towards a common taxonomy supports cross-country comparability and facilitates international collaboration towards strengthening the evidence base for policy making and industry planning.
The Heat Pump Taxonomy Technology Explorer, openly available on the IEA website, offers an accessible, interactive way to explore different heat pump types available in the market with fact sheets
The methodology behind
Moreover, IEA has published
- a Technical Note, which discusses the methodology and analytical rationale underpinning the proposed taxonomy and suggests possible next steps for future work.
- The Heat Pump Regional Data Reporting Mapping Matrix: an analytical tool mapping existing reporting practices by product type and how they compare to the suggested taxonomy, highlighting data gaps and opportunities for alignment.
For more information:
- read earlier news from the first initiating workshop in January 2025: The Importance of Heat Pump Data for Policy Making and Innovation – Main Take Aways from IEA Workshop
- visit the IEA website for the Heat Pump Taxonomy
Source: https://www.iea.org/reports/heat-pump-taxonomy