Jules Oriol, Project Manager Renewable Heat, Deutsch-französisches Büro für die Energiewende (DFBEW) |Office franco-allemand pour la transition énergétique (OFATE)
Heating is the main use of energy in France, accounting for 45% of final energy consumption. The heating mix still relies significantly on fossil fuels, with natural gas being the primary heating fuel. In other words, the energy transition is, to a large extent, a heating transition.
Natural gas remains the main heating fuel, exposing the country to economic fluctuations caused by price volatility. This has been further exacerbated by recent and successive geopolitical and energy crises.
In response to the energy crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the French government has strengthened its regulatory framework and introduced a range of support schemes to accelerate the decarbonisation of the heating sector. As a result, the proportion of heat consumption covered by renewable and recovered energy sources has nearly doubled, rising from 15.7% in 2009 to 28.9% in 2024.
Decarbonising heat is a systemic challenge requiring a combination of centralised and decentralised supply solutions to make the best use of locally available energy resources. In line with this strategy, the government has prioritised the deployment of two key heating solutions: district heating and heat pumps.
This presentation provides an overview of the heating market in France, focusing on recent developments in two key segments: district heating and heat pumps.
