Germany's Fraunhofer ISE launches heat‑pump modernization project
The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE (Fraunhofer ISE) is moving the propane‑heat‑pump concepts developed in the BMWE‑funded research project LCR290 into a new initiative called “Mammut”, which runs from January 2026 to December 2027. The project aims to speed up the decarbonisation of existing multifamily buildings and to deliver a software tool that helps plumbing‑heating‑engineering (SHK) firms design and price heat‑pump systems.
From 21 July 2026, the German Federal Funding for Efficient Buildings (BEG) introduces revised grant conditions for heat‑pump installations. The basic subsidy remains at 30 % of eligible costs, while the climate‑speed bonus drops from 20 % to 16 % and will be further reduced each year until it disappears in August 2028. An income‑based bonus tiers households: those with taxable income up to €30 000 receive a 40 % bonus (plus an extra 40 % for families with children), while higher income brackets receive lower or no additional bonuses.
Experts advise builders to treat the heat pump as part of an overall building concept, coordinating insulation, heating surfaces and the distribution system to achieve high efficiency. Pilot installations under the broader “Wärmewende” initiative have already begun, demonstrating the practical integration of these technologies into new residential and office projects.
Entities: Bundesförderung für effiziente Gebäude (BEG) · Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE) · Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE · Karin Thelen · Mammut project · Manuel Gossler · Munich · Stadtwerke München · Technical University of Munich · Verbraucherzentrale NRW
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The LCR290 project was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE). (e1335eba-b732-4237-b1d5-81d5e6a5da68)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Households with taxable income up to €30 000 receive a 40 % BEG bonus on eligible costs, plus an additional 40 % for families with children. (d66e8700-3eac-4a85-bcb1-64f512549871)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Fraunhofer ISE will incorporate the LCR290 project results into the new “Mammut” project running from January 2026 to December 2027. (e1335eba-b732-4237-b1d5-81d5e6a5da68)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A Wärmewende pilot project has been launched to demonstrate heat‑pump retrofits in German buildings. (1d48c705-a256-4628-a165-dc47b68d4be9)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Efficient heat‑pump performance depends on the integration of building envelope, heating surfaces and distribution system, not just the pump itself. (eed5debb-8a9a-40e6-94d7-f4a8ed3ecad6)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The BEG climate‑speed bonus drops from 20 % to 16 % on 21 July 2026 and will be reduced further each year until it ends in August 2028. (d66e8700-3eac-4a85-bcb1-64f512549871)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] From 21 July 2026, the BEG heat‑pump funding scheme provides a basic grant of 30 % of eligible costs. (d66e8700-3eac-4a85-bcb1-64f512549871)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The “Mammut” project aims to accelerate decarbonisation of existing multifamily buildings and develop a decision‑support software tool for SHK companies. (e1335eba-b732-4237-b1d5-81d5e6a5da68)