Heat pumps sales soar in France

AFPAC (Association Française pour les Pompes à Chaleur) has announced a record sales figure for air-to-water heat pumps (HPs). Sales recorded by AFPAC members were 133 080 in 2008, up over 160% over 2007. The overall market in 2008 is estimated as being 150 000 units. Tax incentives partially explain these phenomenal sales. www.afpac.org

In Europe as a whole, sales of air-to-air and air-to-water heat pump sales are also gaining favour in heating, cooling and water heating applications thanks to the high COP of the HPs, national tax incentives and programmes designed to reduce CO2 emissions. HPs have been recognized as a renewable energy technology according to a recent European energy directive (see Newsletter of the IIR No. 37).