Task 3 - Potentials and barriers

Task 3 of IEA Project 65, “Heat pumps in a circular economy,” focuses on a detailed evaluation of the potential for enhancing circularity in domestic heat pumps, as well as the identification of barriers to reusing and dismantling heat pumps and their components. Understanding these challenges and opportunities is a crucial step toward developing practical recommendations and best-practice guidelines within the project.

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Task 3 of IEA Project 65, “Heat pumps in a circular economy,” focuses on a detailed evaluation of the potential for enhancing circularity in domestic heat pumps, as well as the identification of barriers to reusing and dismantling heat pumps and their components. Understanding these challenges and opportunities is a crucial step toward developing practical recommendations and best-practice guidelines within the project.

This task involves several key activities:

  1. Identification of priority components: The task will begin by selecting key parts and components of domestic heat pumps to prioritize for increased material efficiency and circularity.
  2. Analysis of material efficiency aspects: Specific aspects of material efficiency—such as product lightweighting, durability, reparability, and potential for reuse—will be evaluated for the identified components.
  3. Assessment of dismantling challenges: The project will investigate principal obstacles to efficient dismantling of heat pumps, such as the use of foams, molded or composite parts, or permanent joining techniques.
  4. Evaluation of second-hand market value: An initial assessment will be conducted to estimate the value of end-of-life components and materials sourced from dismantled heat pumps.

The objectives of this task are to identify technical and economic barriers preventing greater material circulation in domestic heat pumps, to provide the basis for subsequent development of best-practice guidelines (Task 4) by pinpointing priority actions and practical solutions, and to support the creation of new circular business opportunities by clarifying the potential for reuse and recycled material flows.

This task directly builds upon the outcomes of Task 2 by leveraging mapped national and international initiatives and research, and it prepares the foundation for guideline development and stakeholder recommendations in later stages of the project.

Task 3 is scheduled to take place from April 2025 to April 2026.