Heat pumps have become a centrepiece of Poland's home heating transition, driven by the government's Czyste Powietrze programme, rising gas prices, and an increasing desire to move away from coal boilers. A well-chosen heat pump can reduce home heating costs by 50–75% compared to direct electric heating, and by 30–60% compared to gas, while dramatically cutting carbon emissions.
How Heat Pumps Work
A heat pump does not generate heat by burning fuel — it moves heat from one place to another, using electricity as the motive force. In heating mode, it extracts thermal energy from outdoor air (air-source), the ground (ground-source/geothermal), or groundwater and transfers it into your home's heating system.
The efficiency of a heat pump is measured by its Coefficient of Performance (COP): the ratio of heat output to electrical energy input. A COP of 3 means the pump delivers 3 kWh of heat for every 1 kWh of electricity consumed — three times more efficient than a direct electric heater.
Types of Heat Pumps Available in Poland
Air-to-Water Heat Pumps (Powietrzna Pompa Ciepła)
The most common type for residential installations in Poland. Extracts heat from outdoor air and transfers it to water for underfloor heating or radiators. Key characteristics:
- COP: 2.5–4.5 (higher in mild weather, lower at very cold temperatures)
- Works effectively down to -20°C (requires backup heater at extreme cold)
- Installation cost: 25,000–55,000 PLN depending on capacity and brand
- Best matched with underfloor heating or large-surface low-temperature radiators
Ground-Source Heat Pumps (Gruntowa Pompa Ciepła)
More expensive to install due to ground collector systems (horizontal trenches or vertical boreholes), but more efficient because ground temperatures remain stable year-round.
- COP: 3.5–5.5 (more consistent than air-source)
- Installation cost: 40,000–90,000 PLN (horizontal collectors cheaper; vertical boreholes more expensive)
- Requires sufficient garden space (horizontal) or drilling rights (vertical)
Air-to-Air Heat Pumps (Klimatyzacja z Funkcją Grzania)
These multi-split air conditioning units with heat functions provide both heating and cooling. Lower cost but deliver warm air rather than heating water-based systems. Generally unsuitable as primary heating for heavily insulated Polish homes, but excellent for apartments or as supplementary heating.
- COP: 3.0–5.0
- Installation cost: 8,000–25,000 PLN for residential units
Installation Costs in Poland 2026
For a typical Polish single-family home of 150 m²:
- Air-to-water heat pump (10–12 kW): 35,000–50,000 PLN installed
- Ground-source (vertical borehole, 8–10 kW): 60,000–90,000 PLN installed
- This typically includes: heat pump unit, buffer tank (zasobnik buforowy), hot water tank, additional components, and labour
If the existing radiator system operates at too high a temperature for efficient heat pump operation, upgrading to underfloor heating or larger radiators adds further cost — typically 20,000–40,000 PLN for a full home.
Energy Savings — A Realistic Calculation
Assume a Polish home currently heated by gas (average consumption: 18,000 kWh/year in gas):
- Annual gas cost at 0.40 PLN/kWh: 7,200 PLN/year
- With air-source heat pump (average COP 3.0): electricity consumption = 18,000 / 3 = 6,000 kWh/year
- Annual electricity cost at 0.75 PLN/kWh: 4,500 PLN/year
- Annual saving: approximately 2,700 PLN/year
If the home previously used coal or an old oil boiler, savings are typically much higher. Against direct electric heating (COP 1.0), savings can reach 5,000–8,000 PLN/year.
Subsidies: Czyste Powietrze 2026
The Polish government's flagship clean heating programme, Czyste Powietrze, offers substantial grants for heat pump installation:
Subsidy Levels (2026)
- Basic level (income above 135,000 PLN annually): up to 37,500 PLN for air-to-water pump; 52,500 PLN for ground-source
- Enhanced level (income 1,894–3,600 PLN/month per person in household): up to 52,500 PLN for air-to-water; 67,500 PLN for ground-source
- Highest level (income below 1,894 PLN/month per person, or Karta Dużej Rodziny): up to 79,000 PLN for air-to-water; 94,000 PLN for ground-source
Applications are submitted through the Czyste Powietrze portal (czystepowietrze.gov.pl) or via local WFOŚiGW offices. The subsidy covers not only the heat pump but also insulation, windows, and building envelope works done as part of the same project.
Additional Tax Relief
The ulga termomodernizacyjna allows deduction of up to 53,000 PLN of eligible thermal modernisation costs from your PIT income tax base, potentially saving 6,360–10,070 PLN in tax depending on your rate.
Is a Heat Pump Right for Your Polish Home?
Heat pumps work best when:
- The home is well-insulated (U-values for walls below 0.20 W/m²K)
- The heating system operates at low water temperatures (35–45°C) — ideal for underfloor heating
- The home has a good electrical connection (typically 3×25A or higher)
Heat pumps are less suitable for poorly insulated homes with old high-temperature radiators and no plans to upgrade insulation. In such cases, insulation upgrades should come first.
Calculate your heat pump savings: Use the Liczbnik.pl Energy Calculator to estimate annual savings from replacing your existing heating system with a heat pump, and calculate how long it will take to recoup the investment.