Germany boosts heat‑pump heating with Cologne’s massive river‑water pump

A 280‑million‑euro river‑water heat pump is under construction in Cologne‑Niehl. The system will draw thermal energy from the Rhine to provide near‑carbon‑neutral district heating for up to 50,000 households by 2028 and is projected to cut at least 100,000 t of CO₂ emissions each year.

National data show that heat‑pump technology is now the dominant heating method for new residential construction in Germany. According to Destatis, 73.6 % of the 58,900 dwellings completed in 2025 used heat pumps as the primary heat source, up from 69.4 % in 2024 and more than double the 31.4 % share in 2015. The uptake is strongest in single‑family homes, where roughly 78 % of new units employ heat pumps. Overall, 78.2 % of new buildings in 2025 were heated mainly with renewable energy, while gas heating fell to 10.5 %. Industry players such as Daikin are promoting complementary technologies, like the ECH₂O water‑storage system, to combine high efficiency with hygienic warm‑water supply.