Proposals should address only one of the two scopes below. The scope addressed should be clearly specified in the proposal’s introduction.

Scope A: Alternative business and delivery models:
Proposals should stimulate large-scale demand for heat pumps in existing buildings, while significantly reducing or spreading over several years the initial costs for product acquisition and installation.

To that end, the proposed actions should develop, demonstrate, upscale and/or replicate alternative business and/or heat delivery models.

For the purpose of this topic, business and delivery models refer to the arrangements between the involved parties and their roles involving a defined set of relationships, responsibilities and rights, including arrangements about equipment ownership and payment.

Proposals should ensure that installations are of high quality, that the selected buildings are suitable and ready (e.g. in terms of thermal insulation, internal distribution systems) for a heat pump prior to any installation, and that building heating needs and heat pump size are properly evaluated. To that end, proposals may apply innovative methods/tools simplifying processes and assessments.

Proposals should demonstrate the effectiveness and replicability of the proposed approaches.

The focus of the proposed actions should be at least on space heating; however, this does not preclude considering additional functions such as water heating and space cooling. Actions may address any type of buildings, although multi‐apartment and commercial buildings are especially encouraged. Synergies of heat pumps with PV installations and/or hybrid renewable heating and cooling systems could also be promoted.

Heat pumps should be designed and installed by professionals with relevant qualifications and skills. All relevant stakeholders necessary for the successful implementation of the action should be involved; if not directly involved, their support should be demonstrated in the proposal.

Scope B: Collaboration between industrial sectors and industrial heat pump technology providers:
Proposals under this scope should promote a sustainable and efficient use of energy in at least one industrial sector by bridging the gap between users and providers of industrial heat pump solutions. Most notably, proposals should facilitate the collaboration between industrial sectors/sub-sectors sharing similar processes and energy related needs with heat pump manufacturers and providers. On the user side, specific industrial sectors could survey their sector’s processes to define an ‘average’ process and reassess its operational energy needs in a most cost-effective way through a closer exchange with technology suppliers in order to effectively design sustainable energy solutions. On the provider side, manufacturers and providers of industrial heat pumps could optimise and standardise their existing technological offer, products and solutions to meet the industrial sector needs.

This aligned cooperation for creating demand and ensuring supply would benefit certain industrial sectors progress in their path towards decarbonisation. The goal is to move from custom-built project by project approach for each specific industrial plant and process, to more streamlined, standardised, turn-key solutions for industrial sector(s) and/or processes with similar energy needs.

Proposals should ensure dissemination and replication of the proposed approaches for wide deployment, including advising and building capacity among the relevant actors and initiatives as well as identify and map possible synergies with relevant funding instruments at regional, national and European level that could help build, disseminate, and exploit knowledge and results.

Involvement of the relevant user sector(s) and of technology provider representatives is recommended for effective market acceptance and implementation.

For Scopes A and B, the Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of up to €1.75 million would allow the specific objectives to be addressed appropriately.