Heat Pumps

New research from Austria has compared different industrial heat-generating techniques and has found that wind or solar-powered heat pumps are the cheapest and most environment-friendly solution.

Scientists from Finland have built an experimental system that allows the drying of woody biomass with solar thermal energy and a heat pump. They claim PV may play a complementary role in the proposed setup.

The Chinese manufacturer says that its new V series heaters can use either PV or AC grid power. It can also be controlled and monitored via WiFi.

US-based Johnson Controls says its new 1,406 kW compound centrifugal heat pump is able to deliver high-temperature hot water as high as 77 C.The system reportedly has a combined coefficient of performance of 4.9.

Newton Energy Solutions claims its new thermal storage system is ideal for houses equipped with solar panels and either heat pumps or gas boilers. The battery has an energy storage capacity of 20 kWh to 29 kWh.

The European Commission’s decision to deliver its hotly anticipated Heat Pump Action Plan late next year instead of this month is a “mistake” that will impact the sector and €7 billion ($7.6 billion) worth of investments, the European Heap Pump Association’s (EHPA) secretary general Thomas Nowak says in a statement.

British renewable energy company Octopus Energy Group announced it would use a recent $800 million investment to “drive real scale” of heat pump manufacture and installation, and create 3,000 new jobs.

European heat pumps sales were strong in the first quarter of 2023, but this was short-lived as sales figures slid by 14% in the third quarter – a worrying reflection of 2022 figures and what could come, warns the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA).

BayoTech and Versogen are increasing their investments in low-carbon hydrogen in the United States, while the UK government has announced backing for 11 green hydrogen projects, canceling plans to use hydrogen for household heating.

Polish manufacturer Corab has developed a new ground-source heat pump with several components supplied by Denmark’s Danfoss. It offers 8 kW to 16 kW of rated thermal power.