CAE Multipliers x2 to x4 for Switching Boiler to Heat Pump: Key Insights for Installers and Owners

Key data

Installers, energy service companies (ESEs) and owners planning to change their heating system now have a direct and quantified economic incentive: CAE generated by replacing gas, diesel or other fossil fuel boilers with electric-driven hydronic heat pumps in residential buildings are multiplied by a factor of between 2 and 4. The Resolution of November 3, 2026 from the General Directorate of Energy Planning and Coordination activates these correction coefficients immediately.

The CAE (Energy Savings Certificates) system requires energy retailers to accredit savings. When an action carries a multiplier, the installer or ESE can negotiate a higher price for each CAE generated, which translates directly into greater economic return per installation or greater capacity to finance the work for the customer.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution sets correction coefficients with multiplier factor applicable exclusively to actions of replacing boiler with electric-driven hydronic heat pump in residential buildings. These coefficients are applied to the CAE that the action would already generate ordinarily, amplifying its value.

A critical aspect: the quota of 1,286 million kWh is finite and is consumed on a first-come, first-served basis. Once exhausted, subsequent actions will generate CAE without multiplier. This makes processing speed a direct competitive advantage.

Economic and operational impact

For installers and ESEs, the multiplier transforms the financial equation of each project. An action that would normally generate, for example, 10,000 kWh in CAE, with a factor x3 becomes 30,000 kWh equivalent. At the market price of CAE, this can mean significant additional income per installation, which can be used to reduce the cost to the end customer or improve the project margin.

For owners and homeowner associations, the effect is indirect but real: the greater profitability of CAE for the installer or ESE allows structuring more attractive financing offers, including pay-for-savings models or installation at no initial cost.

The additional x1.5 factor for vulnerable, severe, or at-risk consumers opens a specific business line for ESEs working with this segment, where the effective multiplier can reach up to x6 (base factor x4 × additional factor x1.5).

The 15% limit of the total obligation of obligated entities in 2026 —set at 1,286 million kWh— indicates that the quota, while broad, has a real horizon for exhaustion if demand activates strongly. Priority by temporal order of resolution penalizes delays in processing.

Who does it affect?

• Heating and air conditioning installers: can generate CAE with multiplied value for each boiler replacement they execute in the eligible period.
• Energy service companies (ESEs): can structure residential projects with greater economic return thanks to the multiplier, improving the viability of customer financing models.
• Individual homeowners: actions initiated from March 22, 2026 and completed before November 30, 2027 are eligible.
• Homeowner associations: have an additional month, with deadline until December 31, 2027, which facilitates coordination of works in multi-family buildings.
• Vulnerable, severe consumers or those at risk of social exclusion: obtain the base multiplier plus an additional factor of 1.5, maximizing the incentive in this segment.
• Obligated entities of the CAE system (energy retailers): must manage demand for CAE with multiplier within the 15% limit of their annual obligation.

Practical example

An ESE manages the replacement of the gas boiler of a building with horizontal property. The action begins in April 2026 and ends in October 2027, within the eligible period. The building type corresponds to the bracket with multiplier factor x3.

If the action would ordinarily generate 20,000 kWh in CAE, with the x3 multiplier it becomes 60,000 kWh equivalent. If additionally one of the owners has recognized status as a severe vulnerable consumer, the CAE corresponding to their home are additionally multiplied by 1.5, reaching an effective factor of x4.5 for that unit.

The ESE processes the request as soon as installation is complete, taking advantage of the temporal priority criterion. If it waits several months, it risks the quota of 1,286 million kWh being partially exhausted and its CAE falling outside the multiplier bracket.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify eligibility of ongoing actions: check that replacements initiated from March 22, 2026 meet technical requirements (electric-driven hydronic heat pump in residential building).
2. Accelerate request processing: since the quota is allocated by temporal order of resolution, submit requests as soon as each action is completed, without accumulating them.
3. Identify vulnerable customers: detect in the customer portfolio those with status as vulnerable, severe consumer or at risk of social exclusion to apply the additional x1.5 factor and maximize the value of generated CAE.
4. Plan project pipeline before deadline: prioritize contract signing and start of works to ensure actions are completed before November 30, 2027 (or December 31 for homeowner associations).
5. Monitor quota consumption: track the level of exhaustion of the 1,286 million kWh limit to adjust commercial strategy if the quota approaches its ceiling.
6. Review contracts with obligated entities: negotiate the price of CAE with multiplier before executing actions, as market value may vary depending on remaining quota availability.

Official source

View complete regulation at official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-23367