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Date Published: 25/01/2023

ARCHIVED - Spanish government offers grants for installing aerothermal heating systems

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The renewable energy system has taken off in Spain thanks to its substantial cost savings

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Spanish government offers grants for installing aerothermal heating systems

With more focus than ever before on renewable energy sources and reducing our carbon footprint, not to mention skyrocketing gas and electricity prices, more and more homeowners are opting for aerothermal systems, and the Spanish government has taken notice.

Eager to encourage this energy self-sufficiency, the powers that be are this year offering substantial grants to people willing to convert their systems to aerothermal.

What is aerothermal energy and what are the benefits?

Aerothermal systems are specifically designed to heat your home in winter, cool it in summer and provide hot water all year round by extracting the ambient energy already contained in the air. They’re essentially electric heat pumps that transfer the heat from the environment to buildings and houses via a thermodynamic cycle.

Its main environmental benefit is that it’s a completely natural and inexhaustible energy that doesn’t use fossil fuels. For the consumer, savings on bills could be substantial with an aerothermal system, since it generates around 3kWh of heat energy for every kilowatt that it uses.

According to the experts, aerothermal heating is roughly 30% cheaper than gas.

Government aid

Because of the boom in aerothermal heating equipment in Spain, the Spanish government has announced grants from the Recovery, Transportation and Resilience Plan to help with its installation.

According to the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE), these "aids vary between 40% to 70%, depending on the technology used", in addition to the basic subsidies on offer:

Residential sector: 500 euros/kW of aid up to a maximum of 3,000 euros per home.
Publicly owned homes and the tertiary sector: 650 euros/kW to a maximum value of 3,900 euros per home.

On top of this, there's a second grant available to be used to convert air-conditioning systems and electrical circuits:

Underfloor heating: 600 euros/kW with a limit of 3,600 euros per home.
Low temperature radiators or fan coils: 55 euros/kW up to a maximum of 1,830 euros per home.

The aid can be requested until December 31, 2023 through the official website. Applicants will simply have to submit a quote for the installation of the system and should hear whether or not they have been approved for a grant within 6 months. They will then have a period of 18 months to carry out the work.

Requirements to receive the grant

Before applying for the aid, homeowners should make sure they comply with the following requirements:

The aid must be for residential use only.
The installation will comply with the conditions of the Building Thermal Installation Regulations and will use air-water technology.
The aerothermal equipment will be fitted with a monitoring system.
The applicant must remain the owner of the home for a minimum of five years after its installation.
The homeowner must be up to date with payments with Social Security and the Tax Agency.

See also: Spain opens up fourth Covid jab to everyone under the age of 60

Image: Freepik

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