High electricity prices over a long period of time prompted Norwegians to look for other ways to heat their home. TV 2 has already written about it several firewood producers were already out of stock in early August.
The heat pump market also recovered.
Never before have they been sold more in the first half of the year, according to the Norwegian Heat Pump Association.
Leif-Erik Høva is general manager of the Godt & Varmt AS heat pump distributor in Bergen and calls the increase in sales an extreme development.
– We especially noticed this in the middle of summer. Even if the winter went well (in terms of sales, ed.), it seemed that most people thought electricity prices would stabilize, Høva tells TV 2.
– BIG PASS: CEO Leif-Erik Høva is getting a lot of demand. Photo: Isac Skjevik Kvello / TV 2
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– When they realized this summer that they didn’t want it, people realized it could be painful.
Surprising trend
The Høva company is among many that offer partial payment solutions for heat pumps. According to Høva, interest in this has exploded.
– We have calculated that the desire for partial payment has increased by nearly 300 percent since last year, he says.
– The uncertainty surrounding increased spending on loans, food and electricity means that many people think this funding is favorable right now, says Høva.
Another change he has noticed in line with high electricity prices is that more people want more high-tech heat pumps, where you can accurately track consumption.
warns
The partial payment scheme offered by the Høva company provides an interest-free repayment spread over 24 months. However, the risk is if you are not able to complete the payment.
Geir Grindland is the general manager of Inkassopartner, and asks you to think carefully before such an investment, so as not to end up in the debt collection records.
– Set up a calculation and see if you actually have the opportunity to get started with this type of investment, Grindland tells TV 2.
– INVITATION: Inkassopartner CEO Geir Grindland asks people to carefully consider whether they can make monthly payments. Photo: Håvard Smeland / TV 2
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He is concerned that many people may have problems with future expenses.
– We see more and more people calling and asking for a postponement of complaints and installments, says Grindland.
While in the past it was mainly underpaid workers who struggled with debt collection claims, he believes there are now people from all groups.
Grindland recommends getting in touch as soon as possible if you start struggling with payment requirements.
– The problem for many is that they let it simmer and falter, and don’t get in touch when they see they can’t pay the bills. Making contact and making arrangements is very important. If not, the case will move forward and end in legal recovery, he says.
Longer delivery times
If you are considering purchasing a heat pump now, you may need to prepare for a slightly longer delivery time than usual.
The war in Ukraine and the consequences of the pandemic lengthen the delivery times of the parties. However, Høva says they have a full warehouse, but they have a waiting time for assembly.
– As of today, we have about three weeks of delivery, he says.
Delivery times are expected to increase further as cold weather arrives and therefore advises not to wait too long.
According to the Norwegian Heat Pump Association, a three-week waiting period is currently a common estimate for many distributors.
Record high sales
The Heat Pumps Association keeps quarterly statistics on heat pump sales. They have never registered so many air-to-air heat pumps sold as in the first half of the year.
According to them, sales have increased ten percent since 2021 and a whopping 57 percent since 2020.
– 2020 was a year with very low electricity prices, which affected sales. Electricity prices are one of the things that most affect the sale of heat pumps, CEO Rolf Iver Mytting Hagemoen tells TV 2.
– SALES: Norwegian Heat Pump Association CEO Rolf Iver Mytting Hagemoen reports a strong increase in heat pump sales. Photo: Gorm Roseth / TV 2
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He doesn’t have statistics on how many people get partial payment, but he says it’s a well-known scheme.
– Some power companies sell heat pumps that you can pay on your electricity bill, and many suppliers have interest-free installment schemes, says Hagemoen.
Cab heat pump
Due to electricity prices, Hagemoen says he also sees several new trends in the market. Among other things, they see a change in people with larger homes.
– We see more and more people choosing to equip themselves with heat pump number two, to cover even larger parts of the house or more floors, he says.
In addition, he tells of an increase in the cottage market.
– Many people who have not purchased a heat pump for their cottage are now. There, panel ovens and electric heating cables are often the standard, so there is a lot to save there.
– AT THE COTTAGE: More people now want a heat pump in the cabin. Photo: Norwegian Association of Heat Pumps
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A rule of thumb with which the association operates is that a heat pump produces three to four times more heat than the energy input.
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