Help for replacing an old oil boiler with a heat pump in France?

Reader question: Is funding available to replace an old oil-fired boiler with an air-source heat pump? It is for my main home in France.

In short, yes – there are several options available to help with this. There are two aspects here – removal (dépose) of your old boiler and then the purchase of the new pompe à chaleur.

The first avenue would be the government’s new eco-grant MaPrimeRénov, which allocates money for those seeking to improve the energy-efficiency of their homes, with varying rates of grant depending on income.

Households are classified blue, yellow, violet or pink, in ascending income order.

For example, money is available towards dépose d’une cuve à fioul, from €1,200 to €400, in the first three income groups. For an airto- water heat pump, it is from €4,000 to €2,000 (with again no eligibility for the highest income group). You can apply at here.

Another possibility, aimed at households with a “modest” income, is the coup de pouce chauffage. This government scheme, which helps fund replacement of an oil boiler with a greener alternative, is part of the certificats d’économies d’énergie (CEE) system, under which energy companies are incentivised to assist with energy-saving work.

It can be combined with MaPrimeRénov and is offered by energy firms in partnership with eligible artisans, who should have an RGE eco-certification label.

Find a local qualified tradesperson online here.

The éco-PTZ interest-free ecoloan of up to €15,000 is also available to those installing heat pumps with an RGE artisan. You should speak to your bank about this.

For impartial advice about all the options suited to your situation, you can speak to an adviser from the faire.fr network (phone 0808 800 700, non-premium rate) or see this link to find one locally.

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