Demand for home solar power plants and heat pumps, or a combination, has soared. It can take up to half a year for delivery and installation.
“The number of heat pump installations increased by 150 percent year-on-year from January to August. Most took place in June and July. Considering the number of orders placed, we expect the record number of pump installations to continue not only until the end of this year,” Woltair’s director Jan Hanuš said. The situation is similar for solar systems.
According to Hanuš, there could be even more heat pumps and solar systems installations, but this year’s demand far exceeds the manufacturers’ capabilities.
Delivery times, which used to be around one month, are now three to six months. The problem is mainly European manufacturers’ production capacities, which are insufficient to cover the huge demand across Europe.
“The average price of an installed heat pump is slightly above CZK 300,000, and we are registering a year-on-year increase of around 30 percent. The reason for this is, on the one hand, the increase in the price of labor and, to some extent, technology, but also the installation of pumps with a higher average output,” Hanuš summarised.
According to him, the most popular option in the long term is the air-water heat pump, which costs CZK 160,000 and up. On the price comparison site Zboží.cz, users most often look for pumps from CZK 74,890 to CZK 189,000.
Solar power for a larger house would cost around CZK 500,000.
For solar systems, the number of panels depends on the size of the house, the roof, and also the accessibility of the sun.
Experts from energy companies or companies specializing in solar panel installations can calculate this relatively quickly in advance, even with aerial maps.
A solar system costs approximately half a million crowns for a larger house with a floor area of around 200 square meters. The costs can be partially offset by a state subsidy from the New Green Savings Programme.
“There is a growing interest in financing the pump through a loan, which is chosen by 20 percent of customers,” Hanuš said.
People also want heat pumps with hot water heating, as the pump often replaces a gas boiler. “We are now installing this option in about two-thirds of our orders,” Hanuš explained. Installations combining a pump with a rooftop solar power plant are also appearing.
Gas engineers will also handle the paperwork for the subsidy
According to Cyril Regner of Energetický Holding Malina, the combination of solar and pump can save up to 60% on energy costs.
Pražská plynárenská stated the heat pump alone saves up to half of the heating costs, and the subsidy can be up to CZK 180,000.
“We will handle the application and the necessary paperwork. The heat pump, with a lifetime of at least 25 years, is easy to maintain and, thanks to its almost touch-free installation, it is also suitable for older houses. If you were replacing a solid fuel boiler or electric boiler with a heat pump, the subsidy would cover up to half of the purchase price,” says Pražská plynárenská on its website.