There is growing interest in (hybrid) heat pumps, as a result of the high gas price and the fear that it could rise significantly further due to the war in Ukraine. That reports Techniek Nederland, the trade association of installers. The number of people applying for a subsidy has also increased considerably for a few months now. But at the same time, many people do not even know what a hybrid heat pump is.
The government would like people to buy such a device because of the climate, as an alternative to the central heating boiler on natural gas. The subsidy was therefore increased at the beginning of this year. But an opinion poll by Milieu Centraal shows that only 50 percent of the population knows what a hybrid heat pump is, and 70 percent do not know that you can get a subsidy for it. Unfamiliarity is even greater among the less educated.
In short, at the moment only the well-informed benefit, says Puk van Meegeren of Milieu Centraal, a consumer information organization. “The government and the installation sector would do well to inform home owners much better about the possibilities, so that more people can benefit from the subsidy. Money has already been reserved for this, but the plan is still in the making.”
Less natural gas needed
Since gas prices rose enormously last autumn, installers are increasingly being asked about alternatives to the traditional central heating boiler. The war gives that an extra impulse. With a hybrid heat pump, which can be placed next to a central heating boiler, up to 70 percent can be saved on natural gas. Because people also keep a central heating boiler, they can still use natural gas on cold days.
Homes can be heated without natural gas for most of the year, so the central heating boiler only comes in during cold winters. It also provides hot water in the bathroom and kitchen. A hybrid pump is cheaper than a full heat pump and usually no other radiators are needed. A house also needs to be less well insulated than with a fully electrical installation.
Until now, hundreds of thousands of natural gas central heating boilers are still sold every year. When the central heating system needs to be replaced, residents are often advised to simply buy another central heating boiler. But since last year, the industry itself that installers will combine a new boiler with a hybrid heat pump.
Payback period
The so-called payback period of a hybrid heat pump is falling sharply with the current high natural gas price. Both Techniek Nederland and Milieu Centraal say that if the gas price remains so high, the hybrid heat pump will pay for itself after four or five years. During the rest of its lifespan, about 15 years, your energy bill will be considerably lower. If the gas price falls again, the payback period will be around six to seven years.
–
