Insights from testing three innovative business models for the heat pump rollout
Heat pumps are essential for decarbonizing heating in buildings, yet their adoption is hindered by high upfront costs, limited consumer awareness, and fragmented supply chains. This paper presents insights from three innovative business models tested within the EU-funded LIFE project install.res to accelerate heat pump uptake in existing residential buildings across Austria, Slovenia, and the Netherlands. The first case study examines a social housing model in Austria, where a social housing association established an in-house installation company to ensure affordability and streamline heating transition towards heat pumps. The second case explores the “Rent a Heat Pump” (RaHP) model in Slovenia, which offers long-term rental contracts to reduce financial barriers and transfer technical risk to providers. The third case introduces the Dutch Heat Pump Comparator (HPC) platform, a digital solution developed with municipalities to simplify homeowner decision-making by enabling transparent comparisons of heat pump options, installation costs, and performance metrics. Results show that cross-sector collaboration, trust-building mechanisms, and tailored financing approaches are critical for overcoming adoption barriers. The Austrian model demonstrates how organizational capacity and supportive regulation enable cost-effective decarbonization in multi-apartment buildings. The Slovenian RaHP model highlights the importance of contract clarity, service readiness, and policy alignment for market viability. The Dutch HPC platform illustrates how digital tools combined with municipal engagement can significantly enhance transparency and consumer confidence, leading to higher uptake rates. These findings provide actionable pathways for scaling heat pump deployment and achieving climate targets through innovative, locally adapted business models.