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Growing opportunities for French manufacturers
The UK heat pump market is currently one of the most dynamic in Europe, offering real opportunities for French manufacturers. In February, the Eurovent Certification team met with key stakeholders in the UK, including MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) and the government-backed Energy Technology List (ETL).
At the heart of these discussions was the alignment of Eurovent Certified Performance and the French NF Heat Pump mark (NF414) with UK schemes, aiming to simplify access to both markets for manufacturers and strengthen mutual certification recognition.
The UK heat pump market and government incentives
While heat pump sales across Europe dropped by 23% in 2024, according to the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA), the UK market stood out with an impressive 63% growth.
Across the Channel, this dynamic has been largely driven by attractive government incentive schemes in England, Scotland and Wales, designed to accelerate the adoption of low-carbon heating systems. Chief among these initiatives is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). This government programme offers a grant of £7,500 towards the purchase and installation of an air-source or ground-source heat pump in England and Wales.
The scheme is delivered via MCS certified installers, who assess the property's suitability, provide a quote and apply for the grant on behalf of the home or business owner through the Ofgem website. Once approved, the grant amount is deducted directly from the installation cost, reducing the upfront expense for the property owner.
Eurovent Certification alignment with MCS
In the UK, MCS sets the technical standards for the certification of products, installers and their installations.
Certification schemes under MCS cover heat pumps, solar thermal, biomass, small wind and battery storage, with certification bodies accredited to ISO 17065. Eurovent Certification is one such certification body and certifies heat pumps under the MCS007 mark.
Eurovent Certification maintains a bridge between the MCS, Eurovent Certified Performance and NF heat pump schemes, so that products certified under one programme, automatically qualify for the others. This consolidates processes for manufacturers as they can use Eurovent certified data to apply for multiple heat pump certifications.
In February, Eurovent Certification and MCS renewed their commitment to collaboration, ensuring that all three heat pump certifications remain aligned, and continue to meet the needs of the market.
Eurovent Certification alignment with ETL
The Energy Technology List (ETL) is a scheme for the UK market featuring around 8,000 independently verified and accredited energy efficient products across 65 sub-technology groups, backed by the government Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). Products featured on the ETL must be in the top 25% for energy efficiency on the market, in their class. The scheme is free for both manufacturers and specifiers. It helps UK businesses, and the public sector make greener energy choices by selecting the most energy efficient products.
The ETL and Eurovent Certification have worked together since early 2024 to align testing standards so that Eurovent Certification test reports can be used to apply for the ETL, provided the products meet their strict energy performance criteria.
Following successful alignment for evaporative air coolers and refrigerated display cabinets, the focus turned to heat pumps. In February, the Eurovent Certification and ETL teams met in London to confirm alignment across five heat pump categories including:
- Air-to-water heat pumps
- Air-to-air heat pumps (split and multi-split)
- Water/brine-to-water heat pumps
- Water-to-air heat pumps
- Air-to-domestic hot water heat pumps.
This partnership streamlines the ETL application process for manufacturers while maintaining trusted, rigorous testing standards.
Find out more in our article ‘Heat pump specification simplified.’
The NF Certification: A strategic asset for French manufacturers
With UK demand surging, having a certification that is recognised in both France and internationally is a major competitive advantage.
The NF Heat Pump mark (NF414) offers manufacturers the ability to demonstrate:
- Superior energy performance
- Reliability and durability
- Full compliance with the highest quality standards.
Thanks to the synergies between NF, Eurovent Certified Performance, and MCS, Eurovent Certification offers a genuine one-stop-shop for heat pump certification, streamlining access to French, British and wider European markets.
Conclusion
In an accelerating energy transition landscape, where energy efficiency and performance are critical differentiators, recognised certifications play a central role.
Thanks to the alignment between NF, Eurovent, and MCS, French manufacturers are ideally positioned to meet the needs of both the British and European markets, while showcasing the excellence of their products.
Discover more about:
Eurovent Certified Performance for heat pumps