Heat pump, pellets or solar thermal: which eco-friendly heating to choose
Heating represents more than half of the energy consumption of an average French household. It is also the area where technical choices have the most impact, both on the carbon footprint of the property, on annual bills, and on the asset value of the property. With the gradual ban on oil boilers since 2022 and the limitation of gas installations in new buildings imposed by RE 2020, the French residential heating market is undergoing significant changes. Here are the main eco-friendly solutions available in 2026, their technical specificities, and their areas of application.
Air-water heat pump, dominant solution in the market
The air-water heat pump has been emerging in recent years as the dominant solution for residential heating in France. The principle: extract heat from the outside air to transfer it to the central heating system of the house (radiators or underfloor heating), with a performance coefficient that allows the production of 3 to 4 kWh of heat for 1 kWh of electricity consumed.
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