Boilers are already subject to EU ecodesign requirements under Commission Regulation (EU) 2013/813, which effectively bans non-condensing boilers and sets minimum seasonal efficiency requirements. The ESPR delegated act will add a Digital Product Passport requirement with NOx emission class, recycled content, and carbon footprint. The EU fossil fuel boiler phase-out trajectory adds urgency to ESPR compliance planning.
Truth Anchor: Commission Regulation (EU) 2013/813 remains in force under ESPR Article 74. Non-condensing boilers cannot meet the 86% minimum seasonal efficiency requirement. — EUR-Lex CELEX:32024R1781
Expected DPP Data Fields for Boilers
Data Field
Annex III Category
Status
Seasonal space heating efficiency (%)
Energy performance
Already required
Energy efficiency class (A+++ to G)
Energy performance
Already required
NOx emission class
Substances of concern
Already required; new disclosure in DPP
Fuel type (gas, oil, hydrogen-ready)
Product identifier
New under ESPR delegated act
Hydrogen blend compatibility (%)
Durability and reliability
New under ESPR delegated act
Recycled steel content
Recycled content
New under ESPR delegated act
Recycled copper content
Recycled content
New under ESPR delegated act
Carbon footprint per unit
Carbon footprint
New under ESPR delegated act
Hydrogen-Ready Boilers: The ESPR Opportunity
Hydrogen-ready boilers can operate on natural gas and switch to hydrogen blends (up to 20% H2) or pure hydrogen with minimal modification. The ESPR delegated act is expected to require disclosure of hydrogen blend compatibility in the DPP. This creates a market differentiation opportunity for manufacturers of hydrogen-ready boilers.
The UK has already mandated hydrogen-ready boilers from 2026. The EU is expected to follow with similar requirements. Boiler manufacturers who develop hydrogen-ready products now will be well-positioned for both ESPR compliance and the broader energy transition.
What Boiler Manufacturers Must Do Now
Verify compliance with existing Regulation (EU) 2013/813: Confirm all boilers meet 86% minimum seasonal efficiency and Class 6 NOx emission requirements.
Document hydrogen blend compatibility: Determine the hydrogen blend compatibility of all boiler models. This will be a required DPP data field.
Audit recycled steel and copper content: Determine recycled content in heat exchangers, casings, and pipework.
Conduct lifecycle carbon footprint assessment: Calculate the carbon footprint of boiler models. Focus on manufacturing phase and use phase (combustion emissions over product lifetime).
Prepare DPP data templates: Create DPP data templates for all boiler models, including fuel type, efficiency class, NOx class, and hydrogen compatibility.
Boilers Under ESPR: Transition to Low-Carbon Heating
Gas boilers are the most common heating technology in EU buildings, but they are also a significant source of carbon emissions. The EU's climate targets require a transition away from fossil fuel boilers to low-carbon alternatives (heat pumps, district heating, hydrogen-ready boilers). ESPR will play a role in this transition by setting ecodesign requirements that make the environmental performance of boilers transparent and by requiring a Digital Product Passport that includes carbon footprint data.
Gas boilers are currently subject to the Ecodesign Regulation for space heaters (Regulation (EU) 2013/813). The ESPR boiler delegated act will replace this regulation. The key question for the delegated act is whether it will set requirements that effectively phase out gas boilers (as some member states have proposed) or whether it will set requirements that allow gas boilers to remain on the market with improved efficiency and hydrogen-readiness.
Boiler DPP: Expected Data Fields
Data Category
Expected Data Fields
Status
Energy performance
Seasonal efficiency (ηs), energy efficiency class, rated heat output (kW)
Gas and oil boilers are at the centre of the EU's building decarbonisation agenda. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD, EU 2024/1275) requires member states to phase out fossil fuel boilers in buildings, with a target of no new fossil fuel boilers sold after 2040 in most member states. Several member states — including the Netherlands, Denmark, and Austria — have already announced earlier phase-out dates. The ESPR delegated act for boilers will set ecodesign requirements and DPP obligations that apply during the remaining period when boilers can be placed on the EU market. Manufacturers of gas condensing boilers, oil boilers, and biomass boilers must understand that ESPR compliance is a short-to-medium term requirement, while the longer-term market trajectory points toward heat pumps and district heating.
What Boiler Data Must the DPP Contain?
The ESPR delegated act for boilers will require DPPs that include: product identifier and manufacturer details, fuel type (natural gas, LPG, oil, biomass), seasonal space heating energy efficiency (ηs) as a percentage, rated heat output in kW, NOx emissions in mg/kWh, CO emissions in mg/kWh, sound power level in dB(A), Energy Efficiency Class under the EU Energy Label, compatibility with hydrogen blends (H2-ready status), and end-of-life disassembly instructions. For biomass boilers, the DPP must also include the fuel specification (wood pellets, wood chips, logs), dust emissions in mg/m³, and the relevant EN standard for the fuel type.
Hydrogen-Ready Boilers and ESPR Future-Proofing
Several EU member states and the European gas industry are investing in hydrogen infrastructure as a pathway to decarbonise heating. Hydrogen-ready boilers — boilers that can operate on natural gas today and be converted to operate on 100% hydrogen in the future — are being developed by major manufacturers. The ESPR delegated act for boilers is expected to include a provision for declaring H2-ready status in the DPP, as this is a relevant environmental attribute that affects the product's lifecycle carbon footprint. However, the EU Commission has been cautious about hydrogen for heating — the REPowerEU plan and the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive both prioritise electrification (heat pumps) over hydrogen for residential heating.
Yes. Commission Regulation (EU) 2013/813 sets minimum seasonal space heating efficiency requirements for boilers. Gas condensing boilers must achieve minimum 86% seasonal efficiency. Non-condensing boilers are effectively banned from the EU market.
The ESPR delegated act for boilers is expected in 2027-2029. The EU is also considering a phase-out of fossil fuel boilers as part of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) revision. The DPP timeline may be accelerated if the fossil fuel boiler phase-out is confirmed.
ESPR itself does not phase out gas boilers. However, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) revision and the EU Fit for 55 package create a trajectory toward fossil fuel boiler phase-out. The ESPR delegated act for boilers will set ecodesign requirements but is not expected to ban gas boilers outright.
The delegated act is expected to require disclosure of recycled steel content (heat exchanger, casing), recycled copper content (heat exchanger), and recycled aluminium content (where used).
Commission Regulation (EU) 2013/813 sets maximum NOx emission limits for gas boilers. Class 6 boilers (maximum 56 mg NOx/kWh) are required for new installations in many EU member states. The DPP is expected to require disclosure of NOx emission class.
Register Your Digital Product Passport
The EU DPP Registry goes live on 19 July 2026. EU customs will verify DPP compliance automatically from that date. Products without a valid DPP can be refused entry. Register now at Africa’s first ESPR-compliant DPP registry.
Gas boilers and oil boilers are currently subject to ecodesign requirements under EU Regulation 813/2013 and energy labelling requirements under EU Regulation 811/2013. These regulations set minimum seasonal space heating energy efficiency requirements and require manufacturers to provide product information including the rated heat output, seasonal efficiency, and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. The ESPR delegated act for boilers will build on these requirements and add DPP data disclosure requirements.
The EU's decarbonisation strategy has significant implications for the boiler market. The EU has signalled that it intends to phase out fossil fuel boilers in new buildings by 2030 and in existing buildings by 2035–2040. The ESPR delegated act for boilers is expected to reflect this direction by setting increasingly stringent efficiency requirements and by requiring DPP data that enables consumers and building managers to compare the carbon footprint of different heating systems. The DPP for boilers is also expected to include information on the boiler's compatibility with hydrogen blends, given the EU's interest in using green hydrogen as a decarbonisation pathway for hard-to-heat buildings.
Frequently Asked Questions
The ESPR delegated act for boilers is expected to be adopted in 2025–2026. Given the EU's decarbonisation targets for heating, this delegated act is likely to be among the most commercially significant under ESPR. Manufacturers should plan for compliance by 2027–2028.
ESPR itself does not ban products — it sets performance requirements. However, if the delegated act sets efficiency requirements that gas boilers cannot meet, or if it requires DPP data that reveals the carbon footprint of gas boilers in a way that disadvantages them in the market, the practical effect could be to phase out gas boilers. The Commission's direction is clearly towards electrification of heating.
The delegated act is expected to require manufacturers to disclose the boiler's compatibility with hydrogen blends (H2-ready boilers). This information is relevant to building owners and energy planners who are considering the transition to hydrogen as a heating fuel. Manufacturers should test and certify their boilers for hydrogen compatibility before the delegated act takes effect.
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) sets requirements for the energy performance of buildings, including requirements for heating systems. ESPR sets requirements for the products themselves. Both regulations apply to boilers installed in EU buildings. Manufacturers must comply with both regulations independently.
The delegated act is expected to require manufacturers to make available spare parts for boilers for a minimum period after last sale. Key parts include: burners, heat exchangers, pumps, expansion vessels, pressure relief valves, and electronic control boards. The DPP must disclose spare parts availability and pricing.