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