State of the (European) union
Gerard Reid, co-founder of corporate finance advisory Alexa Capital, considers whether the EU is up to the task of dealing with the twin threats of the energy crisis and the pull of a revitalized US clean power industry.
Study shows symbiotic effect of heat pumps and residential solar
SolarPower Europe says in a new report that households in Germany, Spain, and Italy can more than triple their savings by pairing PV with heat pumps. It said this combination helped families to save between 62% and 84% on their annual energy bills in 2022.
Fraunhofer ISE, Viessmann develop multi-source residential heat pump
Fraunhofer ISE has presented the results of retrofit heat pump installations in multi-family homes in Germany. One demonstrator featured rooftop solar PV and a multi-source heat pump developed in partnership with Viessmann. It uses air and geothermal as heat sources.
Heat pumps vs. renewables – a dilemma for Germany’s way out of gas
Researchers have looked at whether Germany can substitute more gas with renewables-powered heat pumps or renewable electricity to reduce load hours at gas-fired power plants. They argue that heat pumps are the fastest way to cut German gas consumption.
Renewables-powered steam heat pump for industrial applications
MAN Energy Solutions is building an industrial-scale heat pump that generates steam without using gas. It will produce steam to dry dairy ingredients at a milk farm in New Zealand.
Study shows payback times for heat pumps could plunge by 2030
McKinsey & Company says in a new report that payback periods for heat pumps could fall by up to 38% by 2030.
Viessmann unveils ground-source heat pump for space, water heating
Viessmann has developed a heat pump for residential applications that can produce between 5.8 kW to 10.4 kW of heat. It has the capacity to heat 220 liters of domestic water, with a coefficient of performance (COP) of up to 4.8 for space heating and 3.14 for water heating.
New thermal battery offers fast, efficient performance at low cost
US engineers have built a scalable thermal energy storage prototype system that combines the best latent and sensible heat transfers. The technology, which is now market-ready after three years of testing, consists of engineered cementitious materials and thermosiphons in a combination that enables fast, efficient thermal performance at low cost.
Seawater heat pump pilot project in Croatian shipyard
Croatia’s Viktor Lenac Shipyard aims to replace electric boilers and a water-to-water heat pump with a seawater heat pump, in order to provide heat and cooling for buildings. The pilot project is backed by EU funding and has launched a tender to support the construction of the seawater heat pump.
Dutch Heat Pump Association reports surge in residential installations in 2022
The Dutch heat pump market grew by 57% in 2022, with 70,000 heat pumps installed in new buildings and 40,000 in existing homes. The Dutch Heat Pump Association (DHPA) now wants to focus on investing in solar-thermal heat pumps and bringing the technology to low-income households.
