Archive · 3 Oct 2026
India’s Heat Pump Mission Could Cut Fuel Imports
India imports a lot of oil and gas, and this costs the country a great deal of money.
Much of that fuel is used to make heat in factories, hotels, hospitals, and other buildings.
Heat pumps move heat from the air, ground, or waste heat instead of burning fuel to create it.
They can provide two to four times more heat than the electricity they use.
The article says they can cut heating costs when they replace diesel, furnace oil, LPG, or natural gas.
Many Indian companies are already using heat pumps for temperatures up to 120°C.
The writer says India could install 50 GW of heat pumps over the next 15 years.
The proposed solution is to reduce taxes, provide financing support, encourage manufacturing, and create performance standards.
India’s oil and gas import bill reached $117.5 billion in the last financial year.
About 40% of energy used in Indian industry goes toward producing heat such as hot water, steam, and hot air.
Heat pumps can deliver two to four units of heat for every unit of electricity consumed.
Replacing oil- and gas-fired systems with heat pumps can reduce heating costs by 50% to 75%.
The article proposes expanding heat-pump capacity from less than 1 GW today to 50 GW within 15 years.
- Who
- Indian factories, hotels, hospitals, hostels, and other commercial and industrial users, along with heat-pump manufacturers and policymakers.
- What
- A proposal to create a national heat-pump mission and expand heat-pump use to reduce imported-fuel consumption, costs, and emissions.
- When
- The proposed expansion would occur over the next 15 years, with emissions reductions assessed for 2040.
- Where
- Across India, including industrial and commercial facilities in Pune, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, and Chennai.
- Why
- To reduce India’s oil and gas import dependence, protect against price and geopolitical risks, lower heating costs, and cut carbon dioxide emissions.
- Oil and gas import bill
- $117.5 billion in the last financial year
- Industrial heat share
- About 40% of energy used in Indian industry
- Heat-pump efficiency
- Two to four units of heat delivered per unit of electricity
- Typical cost reduction
- 50% to 75% when replacing diesel, furnace oil, LPG, or piped natural gas
- Current installed capacity
- Less than 1 GW in India
- Proposed capacity
- 50 GW over the next 15 years
- Projected emissions reduction
- 54 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually by 2040