Why heat pumps are not enough: Europe’s electric solution to a thermal problem

Half of all EU energy consumption goes to heating and cooling (H&C), making it the largest end-use sector. Despite being a thermal problem, the EU is pursuing an electrical solution, transferring Europe’s largest energy sector onto an already strained grid one heat pump at a time. If thermal networks offer a more direct, efficient path to decarbonisation, why aren't policymakers pursuing stronger regulatory support? As district heating assets attract new private capital, the multi-million-euro question is whether policymakers can deliver regulatory certainty.