Sonia Pomar (FEGECA): Hybrid systems: one of the options with the greatest potential for growth

The Director of the Association of Manufacturers of Generators and Heat Emitters identifies hybrid systems as one of the options with the greatest potential for growth over the coming years. 

Last March saw the publication of 2025 Heating Sector Report by the Association of Manufacturers of Generators and Heat Emitters (FEGECA), an important document setting out the main statistics for the sector in Spain. Sonia Pomar, Director of the Association, analyses the key findings, providing us with an in-depth look at the sector’s prospects in Spain. The report marks a turning point: after years of uncertainty, the sector is moving towards greater stability, regulatory clarity and recovery.

Pomar explains that we have been undergoing a profound transformation for some years now. “Decarbonisation – based largely on electrification – energy efficiency and sustainability are redefining the thermal energy model in Spain and across Europe as a whole.” We are emerging from a period marked by the energy crisis, stock adjustments and, above all, a lack of regulatory clarity, which created uncertainty among both manufacturers and consumers.”

However, 2025 has been different. “The market has shown clear signs of recovery, with turnover of €965 million.” This improvement is no coincidence and is largely due to the definition and clarification of the regulations on the classification of fossil fuel boilers, bringing legal certainty and confidence to the market. “Today, we can say with certainty that we are moving towards a multi-technology model, in which different solutions coexist to adapt to each building context.”

Technology and fuel

One of the most significant developments in 2025 that has helped drive the market has been the clarification of regulations, particularly through the ‘Fossil Fuel Boilers’ Interpretation Guide linked to the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). “This guide has proven crucial in clarifying a fundamental point: it is not the technology that determines whether a boiler is a fossil fuel boiler, but the fuel it uses.” In other words, it will be the fuel used in 2040 that determines whether or not a unit can be classified as a fossil-fuel vehicle. “Therefore, a boiler that runs on biomethane, biogas or hydrogen will not be classified as such.”

This distinction has proven crucial. “It has dispelled doubts about an alleged blanket ban on boilers and restored confidence in the market.” As an industry, “it was essential to distinguish between the equipment and the power that drives it”. This clarification “has given a particular boost to sales of condensing boilers as replacements, which remain the first choice in existing buildings”.

Renewable gases

Pomar points out that renewable gases are a key pillar of this energy transition. “Spain has enormous potential for biogas and biomethane production – we are the third-largest producer in the European Union, behind only France and Germany – and their development enables us to make progress towards decarbonisation without the need for a massive overhaul of equipment and facilities.” Combining renewable fuels with high-efficiency boilers offers a realistic, rapid and cost-effective way to reduce emissions. “It also avoids the high costs associated with full electrification, which would require significant investment in generation, grids and storage.” For manufacturers, this represents “a major opportunity, as all technologies can evolve and adapt to new energy sources, while maintaining their role in the energy mix of the future”.

Aftermarket

The report confirms that the replacement market is the main driver of growth. This is because a large proportion of the building stock needs to replace old equipment with more efficient solutions. In 2025, we saw a widespread recovery in sales: wall-mounted boilers grew by over 6%; floor-standing boilers increased by over 13%; and heat pumps for domestic hot water saw very significant growth, at around 38%. “These figures show that end users are opting to replace old equipment with more efficient solutions that are ready for the future of energy.” 

Hybrid systems

The director of FEGECA explains that “within the scenario we have outlined, in which all technologies are considered viable for the decarbonisation of buildings, we would highlight hybrid systems, which combine high-efficiency gas boilers with heat pumps”. This is “a solution that is gaining prominence because it offers a flexible and adaptable solution for the existing building stock”.

These systems optimise the use of each technology according to weather conditions, consumption patterns and energy availability. “They enable emissions to be reduced gradually, without compromising security of supply or economic efficiency.” What’s more, they fit perfectly into a model of technological coexistence, where boilers and heat pumps do not compete with one another, but rather complement each other. “That is why, here at FEGECA, we believe that hybrid systems will be one of the options with the greatest potential for growth over the coming years.” 

Trust and responsibility

Pomar notes that “with the publication of this report, we at FEGECA wish to convey a message of trust and responsibility.” Confidence, because 2025 has been a year of regulatory stability and moderate market recovery. Responsibility, because the energy transition requires the involvement of all stakeholders in the sector: manufacturers, public authorities, installers and users.”

She concludes by saying that “in order to make progress towards the goal of climate neutrality by 2050, the future does not lie in a single technology, but in a multi-technology model that combines high-efficiency boilers, heat pumps, hybrid systems and renewable gases.” “This is the only way we can we achieve a realistic, efficient and economically viable decarbonisation for Spanish households.”