Heat Pump Savings Calculator for Norway 2026

A heat pump (varmepumpe) moves heat from the outdoor air, the ground or a well into your home, so it delivers several kWh of heat for each kWh of electricity it uses. Direct electric heating (panel heaters and heating cables) gives 1 kWh of heat per kWh of electricity, while a heat pump gives several. This calculator shows how much electricity and money a heat pump saves compared with direct electric heating, what Enova, the state enterprise that runs energy grants in Norway, pays towards it, and how long the pump takes to pay for itself.

How the saving is calculated

The part of the heating that the pump covers needs only 1/SCOP of the electricity. The rest is heated as before. With 12,000 kWh going to heating, half of it covered by the pump and SCOP 3, heating electricity falls to 8,000 kWh. The saving of 4,000 kWh a year is worth NOK 4,716 at NOK 1.18 per kWh (117.9 øre). That price is the Statistics Norway (SSB) household average for Q2 2026, after electricity support and including grid rent and taxes. Prices in Norway are usually quoted in øre: 100 øre is NOK 1. Use your own price if you know it, because every kWh you save also saves the grid rent energy charge and taxes on it.

Yearly saving by use and SCOP

60% of use goes to heating, the pump covers 50% of the heating, and electricity costs NOK 1.18 per kWh (117.9 øre).

Worked example: air-to-air against air-to-water

With the figures above, an air-to-air pump costing NOK 30,000 saves NOK 4,716 a year and pays for itself in 6.4 years. There is no grant, so the net cost is the full NOK 30,000. An air-to-water pump costing NOK 150,000 that covers 90% of the heating saves NOK 8,489 a year. Enova pays NOK 20,000, so the net cost is NOK 130,000 and payback is 15.3 years. Over 15 years the saving is NOK 127,332, which does not quite cover the net cost. Water-based pumps make most sense in a large home with high heating use, or when they replace an old system.

Enova grants for heat pumps in 2026

The pump must be connected to a water-based heating system. You apply to Enova before you start, and once approved you carry out the work as agreed and send the documentation before the deadline. Keep the invoice: it must show all costs, the supplier's name and organisation number, and the pump's model name. Enova's pages are in Norwegian; the grant terms can change, so check them before you commit. The calculator only applies the grant to the types above.

If you have just moved to Norway

If your home is heated with electricity, heating is likely the biggest part of your winter bill. Before you buy, check what you can change without a heat pump: choosing between a fixed price and the spot price (see the Norgespris calculator) and knowing how your grid rent is set. Buying a home that already has a heat pump or water-based heating gives you more options. Costs for the home itself are covered in the guide to the cost of buying a home in Norway.

What this calculator does not cover

It compares a heat pump with heating that uses electricity directly, and assumes the same saving every year at a constant price. It does not model cold-weather performance (a pump's real efficiency falls when it is very cold), maintenance, the pump's effect on hot water, cooling in summer, or replacing an oil or wood system. Prices for pump and installation are examples, not quotes. Electricity price changes and any future changes in the Enova terms are not included. The calculator is not advice on which pump to buy: have an installer size the pump for your home.