Heat pumps are an advanced technology for industrial decarbonization. But even the most effective solution does not get implemented on its own: the right people need to learn about it, the arguments must be clear, and the channels for delivering those arguments must be appropriate.
That is why the Power of Place agency launched a communication campaign for the Association of Heat Pumps of Ukraine (ATNU) with the support of the European Climate Foundation (ECF). The stakeholder map became the foundation of the campaign.
Why Analyze Stakeholders?
Stakeholder analysis is a way to answer three questions that determine the effectiveness of any communication: who makes the decision, what influences them, and how they can be reached.
In the case of heat pumps, the task was particularly challenging. Since the technology is new for large-scale industrial application, the topic requires different arguments for key audiences. Without a structured understanding of who is who in this market, communication can turn into messages sent into a void. With analysis, communication becomes targeted, addressed, and measurable.
Measurement Methodology: Power/Interest Matrix
For the ATNU analysis, we used the classic Power/Interest Matrix methodology (Eisenhower Matrix), adapted to the specific features of the heat pump market in Ukraine.
Each stakeholder was assessed along two axes:
Power — the extent to which the stakeholder can influence the decision to implement the technology or the market conditions
Interest — the extent to which the stakeholder is interested in the topic of heat pumps
The result was a map with four stakeholder groups:
Stakeholder | Power | Interest | Role in the Campaign | Strategy |
Group 1: Association members | High | High | Active campaign partners | Manage / Inform |
Group 2: Industrial enterprises | High | Medium | Main target audience | Manage / Inform |
Group 2: Municipal utilities | Medium | High | Separate subgroup with specific barriers | Manage / Inform |
Group 3: Industry associations | Medium | Medium | Opinion leaders and reach amplifiers | Manage / Inform |
Group 4: State funds and the Ministry of Economy | High | Low | Keep informed | Manage / Inform |
Group 4: European donors | High | High | Partners with resources and legitimacy | Manage / Inform |
The main focus of the communication campaign was directed at the second group: industrial enterprises. They are the end users of the technology and the decision-makers on implementation. However, without informing the first group (association members) and the third group (industry associations), reaching this audience is significantly more difficult.
Communication Messages: What Businesses Really Think
In parallel with the stakeholder map, the team identified barriers and benefits: what holds industrial enterprises back from implementation and what can motivate them.
The main barriers were high cost, lack of understanding of the technology, fear of change and innovation implementation, and stereotypical perceptions of how the technology works.
At the same time, enterprises need to save on energy costs in key technological processes, reduce dependence on gas, and become less vulnerable to grid instability, especially during blackouts. Electricity is also more predictable for businesses than gas. Moreover, this creates an opportunity to gain a competitive advantage in EU markets.
Understanding these barriers and benefits helped us define the key messages that needed to be conveyed in each case. For example, the case for the food industry emphasized payback and product quality. The case for municipal utilities focused on reliability and reduced dependence on external suppliers.
From Analysis to Action: How the Stakeholder Map Shaped the Communication Strategy
Five implemented projects were selected for the communication campaign, each representing a separate industrial sector and addressing a different barrier of the target audience:
Molochnyi Vizit dairy plant (Khmelnyk, Vinnytsia region) — food industry. In this case, the emphasis was placed on reducing cooling energy consumption ninefold and achieving a payback period of up to 2.5 years.
Agro-processing enterprise (Rzhyshchiv, Kyiv region) — agriculture and food processing. Focus: simultaneous cooling and heat recovery.
Four sanatoriums in Truskavets — health resort sector. The case was built around the recovery of 70–80% of wastewater heat, a COP of 1:8, and 13 years of trouble-free operation.
Kyivvodokanal — municipal infrastructure. In this case, the main focus was complete withdrawal from centralized heating.
Brotep-Eco JSC — industrial manufacturing. Focus: free heating of production workshops using heat emitted by compressors.
Based on the stakeholder map and key messages, the team also developed a communication plan for distributing these cases:
Publication in industry media (AgroPortal, AllRetail, Latifundist, etc.).
Distribution through relevant Telegram channels for industrial audiences.
Mailing to the ATNU member database to inform Group 1.
Sharing materials with industry associations (Group 3) to increase reach.
Promotion through Facebook with targeting aimed at representatives of industrial enterprises.
Inclusion of the cases in Ministry of Economy digests (Group 4).
Providing materials to donors, such as the ECF, and other international partners.
Using the cases in presentations at industry events.
Each stage was addressed to a specific stakeholder group, taking into account its particular interest and role in the market ecosystem.
Campaign Results
As a result of the communication campaign, we secured five published cases in industry and national business media, as well as posts in thematic Telegram channels, reaching different stakeholder groups. After the cases were published, the associations began receiving inquiries.
As the campaign showed, stakeholder analysis is a practical tool that directly affects the quality and effectiveness of communication. It makes it possible to define the priority audience, avoid wasting resources on irrelevant channels, understand real pain points, and adapt one message for different audiences.
In the case of ATNU, this meant the difference between “another article about heat pumps” and a systematic campaign that builds trust in the technology at the level of industries, financial institutions, and government programs.
