The government will promote policies to expand the use of thermal energy, including 'heat pumps,' as a national agenda. This aims to achieve carbon reduction through the activation of heat pumps, like major European countries.
According to a report from ChosunBiz on the 11th, the Presidential Committee on Policy Planning included content related to 'heat pumps' in the national agenda to be announced on the 13th.
A heat pump is a system that cools and heats by absorbing heat from external air, water, or geothermal sources, or discharging indoor heat to the outside. While it does not directly generate heat with electricity, electricity is needed to move, compress, and circulate the heat.
Developed in the early 1900s, it was mainly used for cooling technology (air conditioning) in Korea, but its use for heating and hot water has recently expanded, making it a focus for decarbonization. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the use of heat pumps alongside renewable energy can reduce carbon emissions by up to 80%.
The government is currently supporting part of the installation costs for heat pumps through eco-friendly energy supply projects and energy efficiency improvement support projects, but the results of these efforts are minimal.
The Presidential Committee on Policy Planning plans to include measures to expand the distribution of heat pumps and link them with renewable energy in the national agenda. It aims to implement zero-carbon cooling and heating by operating heat pumps using electricity produced from renewable energy, and prepare tailored distribution plans for households, commercial facilities, and public institutions by promoting research and development (R&D) and support policies.
Carbon reduction based on thermal energy is a campaign promise of President Lee Jae-myung. As such, it is likely to become a key policy for the newly established Ministry of Climate and Energy.
The Ministry of Environment is also considering specifying heat pumps as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in its 2035 National Greenhouse Gas Reduction Target (NDC). An official from the Ministry of Environment stated, 'We are analyzing the energy efficiency of heat pumps and the reduction effects when replacing fossil fuels with experts,' and added, 'If adopted as a reduction measure, a distribution plan must also be developed.'
However, despite various policy supports, it is uncertain whether the distribution of heat pumps will expand. Heat pumps require more installation space than gas boilers, which raises concerns that they may not be suitable for the housing environment in Korea, where there are many apartments. Additionally, the installation cost ranges from 5 million to 15 million won, making it 5 to 15 times more expensive than a standard gas boiler. The burden of electricity costs and decreased efficiency during extreme heat and cold are also cited as obstacles. A person from the industry noted, 'Heat pumps are suitable for commercial and industrial facilities, but for home use, their size and cost burden reduce their appeal.'