The International Energy Agency (IEA) has presented a roadmap for the development of the heat pump market in Moldova
According to the Ministry of Energy, this strategic document sets clear directions for modernizing the country's heating system and reducing dependence on imported energy resources. According to the IEA, buildings account for more than half of Moldova's final energy consumption, with space heating and hot water accounting for approximately 75% of this consumption. Currently, these needs are met primarily by imported natural gas and biomass—resources that improve energy security and ensure sustainability. Heat pumps therefore play a central role in the transition to a modern, efficient, and low-emission heating system. "The roadmap developed by the IEA provides us with an important tool for guiding public heating policy and accelerating the modernization of the housing sector. “Heat pumps are a strategic technology for Moldova’s energy security, environmental protection and citizen comfort, and we are already funding the installation of heat pumps in homes through the Green Home programme. By applying these recommendations, we will be able to reduce dependence on imports, stimulate investment and improve energy efficiency across the country,” said Carolina Novaс, State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy. The roadmap shows that replacing gas systems with heat pumps will significantly improve energy security by reducing the consumption of imported fuel; harnessing the growth of wind and solar capacity, which can power new heating systems; reducing greenhouse gas emissions and local pollution; and improving energy efficiency, as heat pumps have an efficiency of 300–400%. Heat pumps are currently more financially attractive than natural gas-fired power plants. The document emphasizes that the starting point is low, as electricity currently accounts for less than 1% of the heating needs of Moldovan homes. The IEA identifies a number of key barriers limiting the uptake of heat pumps, including high upfront equipment and installation costs; low energy efficiency of buildings, most of which were built before 1990; high reliance on biomass in rural areas, particularly firewood; lack of information and consumer demand; high levels of energy poverty, limiting household access to modern technologies; and underdeveloped electricity infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. These barriers are similar to those faced by other European countries in the early stages of the energy transition, the report notes. The IEA estimates that replacing gas and coal for space heating (around 8.55 PJ per year) with heat pumps with an average coefficient of performance (COP) of 3 would increase electricity consumption by only 10% compared to 2022 levels - a manageable increase in the context of the energy transition and diversification of energy sources. In 2023, Moldova imported heat pumps worth approximately $5 million, which is comparable to the level of 2022. 48% of imports came from EU countries, mainly France, Germany and Sweden, and 39% came from China, which is slightly less than in 2022. // 10.12.2025 – InfoMarket.
