| In this environmentally friendly world that we all | | | | It's like buying a low-energy light bulb with an |
| live in certain steps have to be taken to ensure | | | | output rating of I00 watts but with an energy |
| that there is still a world for people to inhabit in | | | | usage of only 20 watts. Remember, we spend |
| the future. People all over the world are looking at | | | | very little on electricity for light bulbs in our homes |
| ways to help save energy and the world's | | | | compared to running our heating and hot water |
| resources. | | | | systems - so the savings are much greater. |
| Household heating is a major consumer of energy | | | | The attraction of running a heating system this |
| so whatever can be developed to reduce the | | | | efficiently is obvious. It saves money and makes |
| effect on the environment has got to be a step | | | | a real contribution towards a low or even zero |
| in the right direction. | | | | carbon building and towards reducing the |
| By extracting heat from the ground or air | | | | devastating impact of climate change. |
| (geothermal energy) and then compressing it to | | | | It's worth recalling how, by 2016, every new |
| raise the temperature significantly, the heat | | | | home in the UK will need to be rated 'zero |
| generated can then be used for water or space | | | | carbon'. Given that the law in this area is getting |
| heating. | | | | tougher all the time and the 2016 date is now |
| Since there is quite a lot of heat energy in even | | | | fixed, new business opportunities are growing |
| very cold materials, heat pumps can use sources | | | | rapidly. |
| that appear to be very unpromising. For example, | | | | More and more heat pumps will be installed in the |
| if the temperature of the air is 5 degrees C, that | | | | coming years which can only be good news for |
| might appear to be too cold to extract any heat. | | | | the environment. Pioneering companies have |
| In reality 5 degrees C is pretty hot compared to | | | | already gotten to grips with issues around the |
| absolute zero (-273 degrees C) and therefore an | | | | ground works required and enterprising trades |
| air source heat pump can produce useable heat all | | | | people are discovering how they can become part |
| year round. Think of your deep freeze. Heat | | | | of the future of our industry. |
| continues to be extracted from that area even | | | | The next generation of heat pump technology |
| though it's well below freezing. | | | | that is even easier to install, and operate further |
| Heat pumps can use air, water and, increasingly | | | | reduces running costs and improves the already |
| commonly, the ground below your feet as a | | | | impressive efficiency which will make the models |
| source of energy. Ground water is a particularly | | | | of the future even more appealing to the mass |
| useful source of heat since it rarely gets much | | | | market. |
| colder than 7 degrees C. | | | | These will offer air, water and ground source heat |
| Unlike more conventional heating or air | | | | pumps to suit all household heating needs, helping |
| conditioning, heat pumps minimise pollution and fuel | | | | to reduce the cost of heating water for your |
| use. | | | | bath as well as heating the whole house during the |
| By utilising entirely free and renewable geothermal | | | | colder months. |
| sources of energy they are very low carbon and | | | | In addition to being powerful systems in their own |
| very economic to run. During hotter summer | | | | right the heat pumps of the future even come |
| months the latest models can even be run in | | | | ready to connect to a solar heating system, |
| reverse to passively extract heat from inside a | | | | complete with flat-panel collector array and solar |
| home and 'dump it' into the ground. This method | | | | cylinder, providing an integration of solar energy |
| of cooling is one of the lowest carbon and lowest | | | | and heat pump for domestic hot water and |
| energy approaches available. | | | | central heating. |
| For every unit of electrical power needed to | | | | Heat pumps will make a huge difference to the |
| extract the heat, up to six units of heat can be | | | | way we heat our homes as well as making a big |
| obtained. That's right, heat pumps can be up to | | | | difference, for the better on the environment. |
| 600 per cent efficient. | | | | |