France launches new heat pump subsidies for low-income households

A new French initiative, the ‘integrated offer for heat pumps,’ launched on October 1, 2026, aims to help low-income homeowners replace gas or oil boilers with air/water heat pumps. Funded by energy saving certificates (CEE), the program provides an average of 9,800 euros in assistance. The goal is to allow households to transition to electric heating without increasing their monthly expenses through a turnkey solution that includes installation, financing, fixed-price electricity for three years, and maintenance.

However, experts warn that heat pumps are not a universal solution. While rising fuel oil prices—which have increased by over 40%—are driving millions of households toward thermodynamic technologies, technical limitations exist. For poorly insulated homes, the coefficient of performance (COP) can drop significantly during prolonged freezes, causing backup heaters to trigger high electricity consumption. This can lead to unexpected costs if the home is not properly prepared for the transition.