German study shows:

Heat pump pays off financially after ten years

A heat pump next to a house(Bild: Hermann - stock.adobe.com)

According to a study by the Technical University of Aachen (RWTH), installing a heat pump can pay off financially after ten to 16 years. The investment and operating costs for a heat pump, including subsidies, were compared with those for a new gas heating system.

Calculations were carried out on behalf of the German energy company E.ON using exemplary houses from 2005, 1990 and 1980. For the heat pump, the research team assumed acquisition costs of around 18,000 euros after deduction of the subsidy, while photovoltaics cost an additional 11,000 euros. Installation costs of 15,000 euros were estimated for gas heating, but significantly higher operating costs were incurred.

The key result: installing a heat pump can pay off financially after ten to 16 years. It is quicker if the heat pump is combined with a photovoltaic system. According to the calculations, it then takes eleven to 14 years for the advantage in operating costs to offset the higher initial investment.

Differences depending on use
The differences in cost-effectiveness depend on the building and how it is used, i.e. how many people live in it, for example. Buildings without underfloor heating were taken as a basis, with these the situation is more favorable for the heat pump. In principle, there is no building class for which a heat pump is not an option, the study states.

There were initially no calculations for houses built before 1980. E.ON assumes that the heat pump will pay for itself somewhat later in these cases. According to professor and study author Dirk Müller, the latter have a service life of at least twelve years. However, this does not mean that the appliances are broken after this time, but rather that they may need to be repaired or parts replaced. The study only took into account branded appliances for which spare parts will probably still be available in the future.