The promises of savings linked to heat pumps are often viewed with caution. But this time, the figures are based on concrete facts. The Economee program from the Effy company, which followed 144 homes before and after the installation of an air/water heat pumpprovides new data, based on actual consumption recorded via Linky and Gazpar. Result ? 136 households out of 144 reduced their consumptionand one in two recorded a drop of more than 50%, with a median of -50.4%. These results, supervised by ADEME and CSTB, shed new light on the profitability of this equipment.
Indeed, unlike a gas or oil boiler, a heat pump consumes electricity. Its effectiveness is thus based on its coefficient of performance (COP), generally between 2.5 and 4. In other words, for 1 kWh of electricity consumed, it produces between 2.5 and 4 kWh of heat. With a COP of 3, producing €1,000 of heat amounts to consuming approximately 330 € electricity. If the price of an electric kWh is around €0.25, the real cost of heating is therefore around €0.08 per thermal kWh, which is much lower than gas or fuel oil. Let’s take a concrete case. A gas-heated home costs approximately €2,000 per year. After installing a heat pump with a reduction in consumption of around 50%, the bill does not automatically drop to €1,000. In reality, it is more between €900 and €1,200, once electricity is taken into account. The real gain is therefore between €800 and €1,100 per year. This calculation, however, remains sensitive to changes in energy prices. If electricity increases by 10-20%, savings can be reduced to €600 to €800 per year
Heat pump: up to €1,500 in savings in the most favorable cases
The highest gains concern homes that are initially very energy-intensive, particularly those heated with oil with bills that can reach €2,500 to €3,000 per year. In these situations, savings can amount to €1,200 to €1,500 per yearor even more in the event of a global renovation. “We see real savings, but they depend a lot on the starting point of the accommodation and the system installed », underlines Corina Osadciuc-Mahé, energy renovation manager at Foncia.
An installation cost of €12,000 to €18,000, with very supervised assistance
The price of an air/water heat pump generally varies between €12,000 and €18,000 installation included. However, public aid often makes it possible to reduce this bill significantly.
MaPrimeRénov’ can reach €5,000 for low-income households, while Energy Savings Certificates generally represent an additional €2,000 to €4,000. To this can be added local aid, comprised between €500 and €2,000as well as a VAT reduced to 5.5%.
But these amounts remain theoretical. In fact, they depend on household income, the type of housing, the use of an RGE certified professional and sometimes support in a renovation process. The remainder is most often between €8,000 and €12,000with significant differences depending on the profiles.
A return on investment between 8 and 12 years
With savings of between €600 and €1,200 per yearprofitability takes place over time. For a remainder payable by €10,000the return on investment is generally between 10 and 12 years old. It can go down around 8 years old when savings exceed €1,200 per yearand reach 6 to 7 years in the most optimized cases.
Performance dependent on insulation and equipment
The results observed in the study concern housing compatible with this type of installation. In practice, a heat pump works optimally in a properly insulated home, equipped with low temperature radiators or a heated floor, and benefiting from suitable sizing. Without these conditions, the winnings may be significantly lower than the announced figures.
The key point: the drop in performance in winter
The question of cold remains central. When the temperatures pass below 0°Cthe efficiency decreases significantly, because the outside air contains fewer usable calories. “ Yield drops during periods of extreme coldwhich can increase electricity consumption »explains Corina Osadciuc-Mahé. Under these conditions, the COP can drop to around 2, or even less, which mechanically reduces the savings made.
Technical constraints to anticipate
Installing a heat pump is not just a question of cost. She also implies certain constraintssuch as the noise of the outdoor unit, the space required for its installation, the adaptation of the existing heating network or even regular maintenance, the cost of which is generally between €100 and €300 per year.
