Heat Pumps
The technology
A heat pump is a method of using electricity to move heat from outside the building to provide heat indoors. No other fuel is burned, there is no exhaust or flue gas to worry about, and the cost of running the device is offset by the free supply of heat. Very similar technology is used in public houses and offices to provide air conditioning, but here the heat is moved into the building rather than the other way. There are currently two types of heat pump available for domestic use:
- air-source heat pumps and
- ground-source heat pumps
Air-source heat pumps extract warmth from the outside air, heat it, and pump it around a house. They are easier to install and cost less initially, but may not work as well when there are extreme fluctuations in temperature.
Ground-source heat pumps rely on warmth deep within the ground and they need to have a hole or trench digging to lay a pipework system to collect the warmth.
This picture shows some of the component parts of an air sourced heat pump, including the compressor, pump and heat exchanger.
NEA has done considerable amounts of work with air-sourced heat pumps. From this, we have concluded that this technology has huge potential in contributing to the fight against fuel poverty and climate change. The key is the high efficiency of the products. For example, an air source heat pump will deliver approximately 3kW of heat for every 1kW of electricity used to run the compressor.
As a householder you are getting more for your money, not to mention doing your bit for the environment!
Key things to think about if you are considering using a heat pump is the amount of heat you need. Heat pumps as the main source of heating are only really effective in smaller homes; or larger ones only if they are well insulated. In addition, it is important to make sure you are on an appropriate tariff as you will be using daytime electricity.
The market for heat pumps has expanded rapidly in the last three years. We are working with manufacturers and Government to ensure that standards remain high and prices low, specifically so that air-source heat pumps are included in the Warm Front grant.