From 26 to 29 May 2026, Vienna hosts the 15th IEA Heat Pump Conference. It is one of the leading gatherings for researchers, industry, policy makers and investors working on heat pump technologies, all under the theme of decarbonisation through innovation.
The moment we are in
This spring feels different. Across Europe, governments are pushing harder on electrification and helping households move away from fossil fueled heating. France has set a target of one million new heat pump installations per year until 2030, reinforcing its position as a leader in total heat pump installations. The direction is clear and the pace is picking up.
According to the IEA Net Zero by 2050 scenario, more than half of all buildings should be heated with heat pumps by 2050. Getting there requires more than good technology. It requires removing real barriers around policy, affordability, skills, trust and user experience.
Two workshops we are particularly excited about
The conference includes a workshop focused on accelerating heat pump deployment. It brings together findings from user research and initiatives from around the world, combining presentations, panel discussions and breakout sessions. The goal is to share knowledge and identify where collaboration can help overcome the barriers that are still slowing things down.
The second workshop is a mid-point meeting for IEA HPT Project 66, which focuses on optimal heat pump design and operation. The project is building a shared foundation of best practices, experimental data and open source simulation tools to make heat pump development faster and more accessible globally. Bringing international partners together in person in Vienna is a real opportunity to move that work forward.
What the research is telling us about flexibility
Several abstracts at the conference speak directly to what we work on every day at Kapacity.io.
Studies from KU Leuven and EnergyVille show how circulation pump control, often overlooked and locked by manufacturers, has a significant impact on both system performance and the ability to provide energy flexibility. Research from AIT in Vienna demonstrates that sector coupling in renewable energy communities, where heat pumps shift operation to periods of surplus solar generation, can reduce total system costs by around ten percent. Work from NIBE and EDF shows how model predictive control can help heat pumps respond to dynamic price signals while respecting comfort constraints. And research from KTH explores how deep reinforcement learning can help heat pumps balance comfort, cost and grid flexibility simultaneously.
The European Heat Pump Association puts it plainly: heating and cooling account for half of EU energy consumption and up to 80 percent in households. Unlocking heat pump flexibility is not a nice to have. It is central to making the energy transition work for consumers and for the grid.
Why we do things differently
At Kapacity.io, our approach is built on well researched controls that combine the latest developments in machine learning and optimisation. The goal is optimal energy consumption without compromising consumer comfort. That is not a marketing claim. It is the foundation our work is built on.
Vienna is also a chance to sit down with leading manufacturers and energy providers and have the kinds of conversations that accelerate growth. We are looking forward to that.
If you are attending the conference and want to connect, reach out before the event or come find us in Vienna.
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