Why choose a heat pump?

A heat pump extracts heat from the outside air and uses it to heat your home, running on electricity instead of gas. This is already cleaner than natural gas, and even more so when that electricity comes from solar panels or other renewable sources. This makes it the most logical replacement for a central heating boiler.

The Netherlands now has 2.6 million heat pumps, a 17 percent increase from the previous year, and the total installed capacity grew from 6.9 gigawatts in 2024 to 7.8 gigawatts in 2025. The government considers this so important that at least 1 million additional (hybrid) heat pumps must be installed in existing homes by 2030.

No obligation, but a clear direction

Important to know: the previously announced requirement to install a hybrid heat pump when replacing your central heating boiler starting in 2026 has been scrapped. You are free to replace your boiler with a new one. However, that does not mean the heat pump is off the table.

The coalition agreement states that the hybrid heat pump must become the minimum standard for boiler replacement starting in 2029. That requirement is coming regardless; it is just happening three years later. Those who switch now can be sure they are prepared.

What do you gain from it?

A heat pump is not just an investment that is good for the climate. It also directly reduces your energy bill: easily by several hundred euros per year, depending on your home and the type of heat pump.

Subsidies are available again this year: €500 million for sustainability measures, including heat pumps. Those who cannot or do not want to pay the purchase price all at once can borrow from the National Heat Fund at 0% interest if their combined income is up to €60,000. If you are hesitant about the purchase costs, you don't have to give up right away.

Hybrid or fully electric

Not every home is the same, and the same applies to choosing a heat pump. A hybrid heat pump works in tandem with your existing central heating boiler: the heat pump does most of the work, and the boiler kicks in on the coldest days. This makes it suitable for almost any home, even if your house is not yet fully insulated.

A fully electric heat pump replaces the central heating boiler entirely and provides the greatest savings. The advice to "insulate first, then electrify" does not apply to every home: it depends on your heat distribution system, airtightness, and the type of home. With low-temperature radiators, there is often much to be gained without major insulation work, and more and more energy consultants are looking first at what provides the fastest economic return. Therefore, have an installer calculate the best sequence specifically for your home.

The overloaded power grid: a downside

The heat pump doesn't just solve a problem; it also puts pressure on something else: the electricity grid. In large parts of the Netherlands, the power grid is nearly full because heat pumps, electric cars, and solar panels cause peaks simultaneously, especially on cold evenings or sunny days. This is called grid congestion, and a heat pump that simply switches on and off based on a thermostat exacerbates that exact peak.

This is where the difference with Weheat lies. Our heat pumps run on Weheat Intelligence, software that plans ahead based on weather forecasts, dynamic energy prices, and solar power, using the house itself as a heat buffer. In addition, the software looks at your specific situation: the characteristics of your home and how you and your family use it. This shifts consumption to cheap and quiet moments instead of peak times: not a miracle cure for the entire grid, but less peak load per household, anticipating the upcoming requirement that heat pumps must be smartly controllable.

What it means for the climate

According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS) figures, heat pumps accounted for approximately 138,000 tons of avoided CO2 emissions in 2025 compared to heating with gas. That is a gain you don't see on your energy bill, but it does count toward the broader climate goals of the Netherlands.

The energy transition isn't about one single solution, but thousands of small ones that add up to a major impact. The heat pump is the component that makes the biggest difference per home: no gas, lower emissions, and a smaller bill.

Still having doubts?

The direction is clear. Subsidies are available now, the technology is mature, and for most home types, the savings are noticeable within the first year. Waiting until heat pumps become mandatory will only cost you time and money that you could be saving right now.

Sources:CBS (sales figures and CO2 savings for heat pumps 2024-2025), Dutch Heat Pump Association (National Heat Pump Trend Report 2026), government coalition agreement regarding the hybrid heat pump mandate, weheat.nl (Weheat Intelligence).

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