The methodology follows three main principles:

1. (a)

   the methodology has to be technically sound;

2. (b)

   the approach must be pragmatic, balancing accuracy and cost-effectiveness;

3. (c)

   the default factors for establishing the contribution of renewable energy from heat pumps are set at a conservative level to lower the risk of overestimating the contribution of renewable energy from heat pumps.

Member States are encouraged to improve the conservative default values by adapting them to national/regional circumstances, including the development of more accurate methodologies. Such improvements should be reported to the Commission and made publicly available.

In accordance with Annex VII to the Directive, the amount of renewable energy supplied by heat pump technologies (E_RES) shall be calculated with the following formula:

ERES = Qusable * 1 – 1/SPF

Qusable = HHP * Prated

Where:

— Q_usable

the estimated total usable heat delivered by heat pumps [GWh],

— H_HP

equivalent full load hours of operation [h],

— P_rated

capacity of heat pumps installed, taking into account the lifetime of different types of heat pumps [GW],

— SPF

the estimated average seasonal performance factor (SCOP_net or SPER_net).

Default values for H_HP and conservative default SPF values are set out in Tables 1 and 2 in Section 3.6.

In accordance with Annex VII to the Directive, Member States shall ensure that only heat-pumps with a SPF above 1,15 * 1/η are taken into account.

With power system efficiency (η) set at 45,5 % (see Section 1 and footnote 3) it implies that the minimum SPF of electrically driven heat pumps (SCOP_net) to be considered as renewable energy under the Directive is 2,5.

For heat pumps that are driven by thermal energy (either directly, or through the combustion of fuels), the power system efficiency (η) is equal to 1. For such heat pumps the minimum SPF (SPER_net) is 1,15 for the purposes of being considered as renewable energy under the Directive.

Member States should consider, in particular for air sourced heat pumps, how large a fraction of their already installed capacity of heat pumps have a SPF above the minimum performance. In that assessment the Member States may rely on both test data and measurements, although lack of data may in many cases reduce the assessment to expert judgment by each Member State. Such expert judgments should be conservative, meaning that the estimates rather underestimate than overestimate the contribution of heat pumps5. In the case of air-sourced water heaters it is normally only in exceptional cases that such heat pumps have an SPF above the minimum threshold.

The definition of average, colder and warmer climate conditions follows the method as proposed in the draft for Commission Delegated Regulation on energy labelling of boilers7, where ‘average climate conditions’, ‘colder climate conditions’ and ‘warmer climate conditions’ mean the temperature conditions characteristic for the cities of Strasbourg, Helsinki and Athens, respectively. Suggested climate condition areas are set out in Figure 2 below.

In cases where several climate conditions are existing within the same Member State, the Member States should estimate the installed capacity of heat pumps in the respective climate condition area.

The default values for H_HP and SPF (SCOP_net) for electrically driven heat pumps are as set out in the table below:

The default values for H_HP and SPF (SPER_net) for heat pumps driven by thermal energy are as set out in the table below:

The default values set out in Tables 1 and 2 above are typical for the segment of heat pumps with a SPF above the minimum threshold, meaning that heat pumps with SPF below 2,5 have not been taken into consideration when the typical values have been established8.

The heat pumps that do not use electricity, either use liquid or gaseous fuel to drive the compressor, or use an ad/absorption process (driven by combustion of liquid or gaseous fuel or by use of geothermal/solarthermal energy or waste heat) are delivering renewable energy as long as the ‘net seasonal primary energy ratio in active mode’ (SPER_net) is 115 % or larger than that value9.

Heat pumps using exhaust air as energy source use ambient energy, and such heat pumps therefore supply renewable energy. But simultaneously such heat pumps recover the energy in the exhaust air, which is not aerothermal energy according to the Directive10. It is therefore only the aerothermal energy that is counted as renewable energy. This is adjusted for by correcting the H_HP values for such heat pumps as set out in Section 3.6.

The H_HP values shown in Tables 1 and 2 above are based on H_HE values which includes not only the hours the heat pump is used, but also the hours that the supplementary heater is used. As the supplementary heater is outside of the system boundaries described in Section 3.4, the H_HE values for all air source heat pumps are appropriately adjusted to only account for the useful heat delivered by the heat pump itself. The adjusted H_HP figures are shown in Tables 1 and 2 above.

In the case of air sourced heat pumps with capacity reported for design conditions (and not for standard testing conditions), the H_HE values should be used11.

Only ambient air, i.e. outdoor air, can be the source of energy for an air-sourced heat pump.

Firstly, reversible heat pumps in warm and to some extent average climates are often installed with the purpose of cooling the indoor environment, although they are also used to provide heating during the winter. As the cooling demand in the summer is higher than the heating demand in the winter, the rated capacity reflects the cooling demand rather than the need for heating. As the installed capacity is used as an indicator of heating demand, it implies that the statistics of installed capacity will not reflect the capacity installed for heating purposes. Moreover, reversible heat pumps are often installed in parallel to existing heating systems, implying that these heat pumps are not always used for heating purposes.

Both elements need appropriate adjustment. A conservative reduction12 to 10 % for warm climate and 40 % for average climate is assumed in Tables 1 and 2 above. However, the real reduction is strongly dependent on national practices for providing heating systems, and national figures shall therefore be used where possible. The use of alternative figures should be submitted to the Commission, together with a report describing the method and data used. The Commission will, if necessary, translate the documents and publish them on its transparency platform.

For hybrid heat pump systems, where the heat pump works in cooperation with other renewable energy technologies (e.g. solar thermal collectors used as pre-heaters), the accounting of renewable energy is at risk of inaccuracy. Member States shall therefore ensure that the accounting of renewable energy from hybrid heat pump systems is correct, and in particular ensure that no renewable energy is accounted more than once.

It is envisaged and encouraged that Member States do their own estimations for both SPF and H_HP. If improved estimations can be made, such national/regional approaches should be based on accurate assumptions, representative samples of sufficient size, resulting in a significantly improved estimate of renewable energy from heat pumps compared to the estimate obtained through the use of the method set out in this Decision. Such improved methodologies may be based on detailed calculation based on technical data taking into account, among other factors, year of installation, quality of installation, compressor type, operation mode, heat distribution system, bivalence point and the regional climate.

If measurements are only available at other system boundaries than the system boundary set out in Section 3.4, appropriate adjustments should be made.

Only those heat pumps with energy efficiency above the minimum threshold, as set out in Annex VII to the Directive, shall be included for the calculation of renewable energy for the purpose of the Directive.

Member States are invited, when alternative methodologies and/or values are used, to submit them to the Commission together with a report describing the method and data used. The Commission will, if necessary, translate the documents and publish them on its transparency platform.