Featured research · Published 14 October 2026
The cost of switching to a heat pump in Ireland: 2026 report
What real grant-funded jobs cost, what the new grant covers, what a heat pump costs to run against oil and gas, and how the 26 counties heat their homes.
Typical oil-heated semi-d: heat pump running cost a year (modelled)
€450–€1,060
Checked 09/10/2026 · seai.ie4
Research topics
Each topic goes straight to the relevant section, with its sources and data.
- Heat pump installation costsSEAI's median prices from real grant-funded jobs (€16,000–€17,000 for houses) against published guide ranges.
- SEAI grants and eligibilityThe grant of up to €14,500 for a house: its three parts, who qualifies, and what most homes actually get.
- County-by-county heating statisticsHow BER-rated homes in all 26 counties are heated, from 72% on oil in Donegal to mains gas in the cities.
- Running costs: heat pump vs oil and gasModelled yearly costs with SEAI fuel prices, and the cases where a heat pump saves little or nothing.
- Heat pump efficiency and paybackHow the seasonal performance factor (SPF), the grant and fuel prices change payback, and why one number misleads.
Research resources
- The 2026 heat pump cost reportCosts, grants, running costs and county findings, with every source.
- Home heating statistics by countyInteractive table and chart, county sections you can link to, CSV downloads.
- Heat pump cost calculatorYour own home's cost, grant, running costs and payback. Free, no sign-up.
- Methodology and assumptionsEvery input, formula and source, with examples you can check by hand.
- Media centreKey findings, charts, citations, the embeddable calculator and contact details.
Downloads (CSV data, charts, the PDF report) are in the media centre. Nationally, oil and mains gas were each the main heating fuel in 34% of BER-rated dwellings in the CSO's latest figures,3 and the SEAI grant for a house is now up to €14,500.2
Who publishes this research
Heat Pump Installation Ireland helps Irish homeowners work out what a heat pump will cost and get quotes from SEAI-registered installers; read more about us. We compile and analyse public data; the statistics belong to the CSO and SEAI, and we credit them on every page. We review the figures monthly, publish dated editions rather than rewriting old ones, and correct errors as soon as they're confirmed: email hello@heatpumpinstallation.ie.