PartagerIEA proposes common taxonomy to harmonise global heat pump data
An initiative led by the International Energy Agency (IEA) aims to improve the consistency of global heat pump market data through a common classification framework. Developed in collaboration with stakeholders from more than 50 institutions, the Heat Pump Taxonomy Project addresses long-standing challenges linked to fragmented reporting practices, differing definitions, and inconsistent performance metrics across regions.
A common language for heat pump markets
Heat pumps are playing an increasingly important role in the decarbonisation of buildings and are beginning to outsell conventional fossil-fuel heating technologies in major markets. However, the absence of harmonised reporting has limited cross-country comparisons and constrained evidence-based policymaking.
The IEA Heat Pump Taxonomy Project [1] introduces a structured classification system based on source, sink, fuel type and product characteristics, initially focusing on heat pumps used as primary heating equipment in buildings, with the possibility of expanding gradually to other sectors. Particular attention is given to the classification of reversible air-to-air systems, which represent the majority of heat pumps sold globally but remain difficult to account for consistently due to overlaps with cooling applications, and hybrid technologies.
Supporting data-driven policy and market planning
The framework is accompanied by practical recommendations for implementation, including reporting both units sold and installed thermal capacity, piloting the taxonomy across regions, and progressively extending it to other sectors beyond buildings. It also includes an interactive Heat Pump Taxonomy Technology Explorer to support access to technical information on commercially available heat pump types.
By improving comparability and transparency, the initiative is expected to strengthen international collaboration and provide a more robust evidence base for policy design, infrastructure planning, and industrial strategy as heat pump deployment accelerates worldwide.
For more information, the Technical Note on a Proposed Common Heat Pump Taxonomy is available open source on IEA website.
Source:
[1] IEA (2026). Heat Pump Taxonomy. A common framework for heat pumps classification and data. https://www.iea.org/reports/heat-pump-taxonomy?utm_content=buffer22002&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin.com&utm_campaign=buffer#overview