This report constitutes the first part of a larger Study on the “Competitiveness of the Renewable Energy Sector”, conducted by COWI and CEPS for the Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER) of the European Commission (EC). It analyses the competitiveness of renewable energy technologies within the heating and cooling industry. The study has focused on four segments constituting 93% of the European renewable heating and cooling industry: biogas, biomass, heat pumps and solar-thermal. The current stay of play within each technological segment is presented, including their impacts on the EU economy in terms of job creation and turnover based on the latest available data. The competitiveness is assessed through the application of Porter's Five Competitive Forces model based on data analysis and structured interviews. Four case studies have been conducted to examine the impact of local conditions in different European Union (EU) Member States (MS). Finally, the report includes an overview of the 2030 plans of the EU Member States including their heating and cooling targets and supporting policies, based on the draft National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs).