The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment will support 3.5 million heat pumps by 2035 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5.18 million tons. Priority will be given to areas without city gas, and support will also be provided to social welfare facilities such as elderly care centers and facility-based farming. On the 16th, the Ministry announced the heat pump dissemination activation plan at the Industrial Competitiveness Enhancement Ministers’ Meeting and Growth Strategy TF held at the Government Complex Sejong.
Heat pumps are devices that use heat from the air, ground, or water for heating or cooling without burning fuel, thus emitting no direct carbon dioxide and serving as an eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuel heating. Since its establishment in October, the Ministry has created the Heat Industry Innovation Division to oversee the efficiency and decarbonization of the thermal energy industry. Thermal energy accounts for half of total energy consumption and is a major source of carbon emissions, making decarbonization urgent.
The plan aims to distribute 3.5 million heat pumps by 2035, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 5.18 million tons. It includes sectoral and phased support for dissemination, incentives for promotion, system improvements for activation, and the establishment and strengthening of the industrial ecosystem. The Ministry will prioritize heat pump support for areas without city gas, social welfare facilities for vulnerable groups, and agricultural heating system transitions. Additionally, subsidies and long-term low-interest loans will be expanded for high-energy-consuming industries and public facilities.
Minister Kim Seong-hwan emphasized, “Carbon neutrality in the building sector is a mission of our times, and this measure is expected to be the starting point for decarbonization in the building sector. We will do our best to quickly prepare a comprehensive blueprint for thermal energy that considers both decarbonization and industrial competitiveness, so that changes can be felt.”