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Energy Potential of Existing Reversible Air-to-Air Heat Pumps for Residential Heating

Author

Listed:
  • Giovanni Murano

    (Department Unit for Energy Efficiency (DUEE), Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), 00196 Rome, Italy)

  • Francesca Caffari

    (Department Unit for Energy Efficiency (DUEE), Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), 00196 Rome, Italy)

  • Nicolandrea Calabrese

    (Department Unit for Energy Efficiency (DUEE), Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), 00196 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

Heat pumps can be considered one of the key technologies to meet the building stock decarbonization target set by Europe. Especially in warm locations, many households have already incurred costs for the installation of air-to-air heat pumps, but, in most cases, they only use them in summer for cooling, while heating is provided by fuel-fired boilers. For these households, the goal of reducing primary energy consumption could be achieved almost cost-free by using heat pumps, that were installed for summer cooling, also for winter heating. Based on this assumption, this research aimed to evaluate the energy savings and environmental benefits that can be achieved by using air-to-air heat pumps instead of gas boilers as the main heating system, without additional costs except for the installation of electric radiators in bathrooms. To quantify variations in energy, environmental, and economic savings compared to the baseline condition, detailed simulations were conducted with the dynamic hourly calculation method (EN ISO 52016) in six different European locations, considering heat pumps with different efficiencies and two different building types. The analysis showed positive impacts at all sites due to the use of heat pumps, which can lead to primary energy savings ranging from about 20% to about 60%. The results varied according to outdoor climate, coefficient of performance of heat pumps, building type, and, on the economic side, the cost of energy. This research provides useful results for outlining decarbonization scenarios, assuming that heat pumps are one of the technologies needed to meet the EU’s climate neutrality goal.

Suggested Citation

  • Giovanni Murano & Francesca Caffari & Nicolandrea Calabrese, 2024. "Energy Potential of Existing Reversible Air-to-Air Heat Pumps for Residential Heating," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-23, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:14:p:6047-:d:1435714
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xiao, Biao & He, Lin & Zhang, Shihang & Kong, Tingting & Hu, Bin & Wang, R.Z., 2020. "Comparison and analysis on air-to-air and air-to-water heat pump heating systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 1888-1896.
    2. Olaia Eguiarte & Antonio Garrido-Marijuán & Pablo de Agustín-Camacho & Luis del Portillo & Ander Romero-Amorrortu, 2020. "Energy, Environmental and Economic Analysis of Air-to-Air Heat Pumps as an Alternative to Heating Electrification in Europe," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-18, August.
    3. Carroll, P. & Chesser, M. & Lyons, P., 2020. "Air Source Heat Pumps field studies: A systematic literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    4. Chua, K.J. & Chou, S.K. & Yang, W.M., 2010. "Advances in heat pump systems: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(12), pages 3611-3624, December.
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