If your central heating boiler fails, it is often our reflex to replace it with a similar model. From 2026, if it is up to the Dutch Government, that will be a thing of the past. Hybrid heat pumps will then become the standard for heating homes. When replacing your central heating system, you will have to switch to a more sustainable alternative. In many cases this is a hybrid heat pump, but alternatives such as the fully electric heat pump or a connection to a heat network are also possible.
With this decision, government want to provides suppliers, installers, home and building owners with clarity. By working together with installers and manufactureres, the necessary prepartions are now being made to ensure enough technicians will be available.
A hybrid heat pump is a combination of a heat pump and a central heating boiler. Because the central heating boiler kicks in on cold days, the hybrid heat pump is suitable for many homes. It can also contribute to making the built environment more sustainable in both the short and long term (in combination with a sustainable gas). This leads to an average 60% saving on natural gas consumption. Of course, the switch to other heat pump systems is also encouraged, where no gas consumption is required at all.
For houses that are not suitable for such a system, an exception remains. Before installing a hybrid heat pump, the house must first be well insulated and ventilated. Furthermore, a hybrid heat pump is most efficient when it is combined with solar panels and low-temperature (floor) heating.
Further reading:
Government website and news article by NOS (dutch).
