Project Background
In the project “Evaluation of the directive for the promotion of heat pump optimization by highly efficient pumps and hydraulic adjustment” (Project BfEE 02/2017) the Federal Office for Energy Efficiency (BfEE) commissioned the consortium partners Arepo and Wuppertal Institut with the evaluation of the German support programme for the optimization of heating systems. The directive for the promotion of heat pump optimization by highly efficient pumps and hydraulic adjustment aims at supporting the optimization of 8.6 million pumps and the additional optimization of 725,000 heating systems until 2020. It was estimated that with these measures up to 1.8 million tons of CO2 can be avoided until 2020. The promotion thus shall contribute to achieving Germany’s goal of reducing 40% of its greenhouse gas emissions until 2020.
The consortium will perform a formative and an ex-post evaluation between July 2017 and April 2021. Aim of the evaluation is to assess the programme in regard to achieving its objectives, impacts and cost-effectiveness. In addition, the consortium will look at particular questions of current relevance. The evaluation is conducted in close cooperation with the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
Type and scope of services
Arepo is the project leader for all work packages of the evaluation. In WP1 Arepo develops the indicator-based evaluation system. In the formative and ex-post evaluation Arepo answers evaluation questions regarding the application procedure, awareness of the target groups, claiming of funding, cost-performance analysis, economy of measures, process analysis, perception, further efficiency measures and impact control. The evaluation is conducted following the criteria of the Federal Budgetary Regulations (“Bundeshaushaltsordnung” BHO §7). Arepo is responsible for carrying out the following data collection methods – debriefing the administrative and ministerial staff, online survey among registered interested parties and applicants for the funding program, performing qualitative data collection based on interviews with other stakeholders (e.g. associations, the target group and chimney sweeps) and based on focus groups among homeowners. The qualitative findings are quantitatively verified in a representative telephone survey.