Slovakia boosts heat pump grants in subsidy shake-up

SVK – Slovakia is increasing household support for heat pumps while sharply reducing subsidies for photovoltaics under revised rules for its Green Households programme.

Maximum heat pump support will rise from €4,370 to €4,600, while the maximum available for PV falls from €4,025 to €1,150. Slovakia’s Innovation and Energy Agency (SIEA) says a greater share of available funding will go to technologies that directly reduce CO₂ emissions from household heating.

Heat pump support increases

Heat pumps will receive €400/kW up to a standard maximum of €4,000. Eligible households can receive a 15% uplift, increasing this to €460/kW and a maximum of €4,600.

Air-to-air heat pumps will also become eligible where a property does not have a hydronic heating system, widening the range of installations covered by the scheme.

Support for biomass boilers also rises from €1,500 to €1,800, while the maximum for solar thermal remains €2,300.

PV support cut

For photovoltaics, the maximum capacity eligible for subsidy falls from 3kW, or up to 7kW for higher-consumption households, to 2kW.

The standard PV grant will be capped at €1,000, rising to €1,150 where the 15% uplift applies.

SIEA said the change is intended to focus support on PV systems where households can consume more of the electricity generated themselves, while allowing available funding to reach more properties.

More than €28m available

More than €28 million is available through the programme. The revised system will also pay grants directly to households rather than through installers, with applicants free to choose their supplier.