Heat Pump Systems can significantly reduce energy costs as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions, by providing heating, cooling as well as domestic hot water.
Heat pumps are machines that transfer thermal energy in the opposite direction of spontaneous heat transfer by absorbing heat from a colder space and releasing it to a warmer one. These machines are unique in the sense that one and the same appliance are able to provide heating as well as cooling, by simply reversing the refrigeration cycle.
This unique feature is fantastic especially in countries like Portugal, where the need for heating is as important as the need for cooling. So with a single heat pump system it is possible to do both.
Instead of combusting a fossil fuel to generate heat, like conventional gas boilers, heat pumps use electricity to transfer thermal energy from one space to another. As a result, heat pumps reduce the use of fossil fuel as well as reducing hazardous emissions locally.
CO2 emissions reduction is the most pronounced environmental benefit offered by heat pumps. The magnitude of possible benefits will vary depending on local electricity generation. In countries that are heavily dependent on fossil fuel for generation of electricity, like Portugal, the impact on greenhouse gas emissions will be much higher. This impact can be even greater if a renewable energy system is powering the heat pump, like for instance a Photovoltaic Product for Self-consumption (UPAC).
Heating, Cooling and Hot Water with Heat Pump Systems
Growing interest in the technology has intensified research and development, which has led to a significant improvement in efficiency over the past decade.
The overall efficiency of heat pump systems, which is called the coefficient of performance (COP) is reaching 4. This means that for every 1 kWh of electricity 4 kWh of heat is generated.
The “magic” working principle of heat pumps allows to use in average 70% of renewable source (air, water or ground source) from the total heat energy delivered to the house. Which means that only about 30% of electrical energy needs to be supplied to the heat pump compressor.
Heat your Home without heating the Planet
Installing a Heat Pump for heating, cooling and hot water is one of the best ways for households to fight climate change and to reduce the energy bill.
Trading a fossil fuel car for an electric one isn’t the only way ordinary people can contribute to fossil-fuel reduction. Decarbonisation has two pillars: First, generate electricity from energy that does not emit carbon, such as Solar Energy. Second, use electricity to run as much of your personal life as possible.
Electrifying buildings and vehicles while switching to climate-safe clean electricity is fundamental.
If you want to reduce carbon emissions, contributing for the good of the planet and if your gas boiler or air conditioner or water heater is near the end of its lifespan, replace it with a heat pump. And if not, plan to do so when it conks out.
Replacing an AC unit and a boiler with one heat pump can save a lot of money in the long run, since the heat pump can do the job of both.
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