Article
Heat pumps in Spain: the solution for decarbonising heating
A heat pump is an air-conditioning system based on the thermodynamic cycle that extracts energy from the air, ground or water and converts it into heating, cooling or domestic hot water.
Managing Director of ATuAire
The electrification of demand presents us with a major challenge: the climate control of spaces. Homes, industrial buildings and retail premises have traditionally relied on heating, cooling and domestic hot water systems that depended on fossil fuels to operate. There are now more efficient and sustainable alternatives that not only offer financial savings but also promise a reduction in emissions that we cannot ignore: heat pumps.
Heat pumps in Spain: what they are and how they decarbonise heating
A simple example is an inverter-based "air conditioner": it incorporates an air-to-air heat pump that extracts energy from the outside and uses it to heat the air, which it then expels through split-type indoor units. But this is just one of its uses. Below we explain how it works, what other types exist and how efficient it is compared to other climate control systems.
Let's start with the basics: how a heat pump works.
Electric heat pumps in Spain are four times more efficient than gas
Heat pumps are nothing new: their first applications in the service sector date back to the 1970s and 1980s, with air-to-air systems used to cool offices, shops and other buildings. Since then, their use has become widespread in Spain, with nearly 200,000 units expected to be sold by 2025, according to the latest market report from the EHPA (European Heat Pump Association).
Their adoption is driven by the pursuit of energy efficiency in every sense: cost savings, lower emissions and the use of electricity from renewable sources.
Heat pumps are four times more efficient than gas boilers: for every one kilowatt hour of electricity consumed, they produce three to four kilowatt hours of thermal energy. A traditional gas boiler, by contrast, generates 0.95 kilowatt hours of thermal energy for every kilowatt hour of gas consumed, a ratio of less than one.
Heat pumps vs. gas boilers in Spain: efficiency in the electrification of heating
The Spanish electricity system has undergone a significant transformation over the last two decades. In 2025, installed capacity reached 142,558 megawatts, a figure that would exceed 150,000 megawatts if self-consumption were included. Renewables, mainly wind and solar, account for 95.6 gigawatts and have gained significant weight in Spain's energy mix, putting the country on track to meet the deadlines set out in the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) (Spanish version).
This paradigm shift has made the adoption of solutions based on renewable electricity a challenge for many sectors, both in Spain and around the world.
Specifically, energy efficiency in the electrification of heating is key to the shift from fossil fuels to solutions powered by electricity from renewable sources. This change would make heating, cooling and domestic hot water more cost-effective, energy independent and secure.
Gas boilers or condensing boilers entail costs such as the gas contract, the compulsory annual service and dependence on the price of gas. Furthermore, they only generate heat: they provide hot water and heating but cannot cool, which is essential now that heatwaves are regularly occurring across Spain.
Types of heat pumps in Spain
Electrification in Spain involves understanding all the available solutions in order to choose systems that use clean energy sources. In building heating and cooling, heat pumps are a good example: technological developments offer options that can be adapted to almost any requirement. Air-source heat pumps (air-to-water systems) are the most widespread but not the only option.
Air-source heat pumps are the most popular option for installing a heat pump in Spain: they are suitable for all climates across the country and cover the three key functions – heating, domestic hot water and cooling – with four times the efficiency of a conventional gas boiler.
Go for aerothermal energy and make your contribution to the world while saving. (Spanish version)
Heat pumps in Spain for commercial buildings, housing developments and industry
Heat pumps and aerothermal systems are establishing themselves as an efficient alternative for heating and cooling commercial and industrial buildings and residential developments, and as a means of complying with Directive (EU) 2024/1275 on the energy efficiency of buildings, which aims to achieve a zero-emission building stock by 2050.
The reason is that the transition to electric systems powered by renewable energy represents a first step towards the decarbonisation of heating.
To get the most out of them, the best option is to combine them with solar photovoltaic installations for self-consumption. A few panels on the building's roof or a small array next to a factory make all the difference in terms of savings, efficiency and emissions, by providing heating and cooling with clean, local energy.
As well as choosing a clean energy source, it is advisable to thoroughly analyse the building's heating, cooling and domestic hot water (DHW) requirements to select the appropriate heat pump. For example, retail premises, shopping centres or offices may not justify a system that produces domestic hot water; a hospital or a sports centre, however, would.
It is also important to assess the area to be heated, the surroundings and the climate in which the heat pump will operate. Do I have access to geothermal energy or only to heat from the air? Am I in a hot, dry climate, or a cold, damp one? These factors make all the difference between an efficient installation and one that, if incorrectly sized, will not reduce costs in the long term.
Heat pumps in Spain: a renewable mix and 100% green heating
According to an IDAE study on energy consumption in the residential sector, more than 35% is used for heating, nearly 3% for air conditioning and more than 20% for domestic hot water. Therefore, a heat pump that also generates domestic hot water could optimise more than 50% of a household's energy consumption. Furthermore, a study by the Technical University of Munich that analysed 13 technologies concluded that the most efficient and environmentally friendly combination, even in the most extreme climates, is an air-to-water heat pump powered by photovoltaic panels.
Both data sets point in the same direction: the heat pump is one of the key drivers for accelerating the electrification of heating. The future lies in systems that consume electricity from renewable sources.
At Iberdrola España, we offer a wide range of air-source heat pump solutions for new-build homes and for retrofitting existing heating and cooling systems, such as gas boilers.
With this personalised service we help you install efficient and clean heating and cooling technology that qualifies for grants and tax relief.
Through the ATuAire by Iberdrola initiative, we offer expert advice and comprehensive management to help homeowners' associations, businesses and industries find the most efficient heating and cooling solution tailored to their needs.
The electrification of heating and cooling is no longer a trend for the future, but a reality that enables reduced energy costs, lower emissions and greater independence from the volatility of fossil fuels. Furthermore, the currently available grants make it easier to take the plunge with a more affordable investment.
Because the best way to prepare for the future of energy is not to wait for change to happen, but to anticipate it. The time is now: every year that passes without action means continuing to consume more energy, emitting more CO₂ and paying more than necessary. The good news is that the solution exists, is available and works.
