News Archive
Radiators high efficient with heat pumps
Sep. 06, 2011 – "The guide to radiators for low temperature heating" presents the facts about using radiators for low temperature heating systems. The guide claims that when taking overall facts into account, in low energy buildings the low temperature heating system with radiators is a more energy efficient solution than underfloor heating, and often more energy efficient even than when using heat pumps as the energy source. » read more
Simulating brine-to-water CO2 heat pump prototypes in Norway and Austria
Aug. 24, 2011 – The development and testing of brine-to-water CO2 heat pump prototypes for domestic hot water-only operation and for combined space heating and hot water production took place in Norway and Austria under the IEA Heat Pump Programme’s collaborative project “Economical heating and cooling systems for low energy houses”. The project has now been completed and final reports have been published. » read more
EU outlines research funding opportunities for renewable heating & cooling
Jul. 27, 2011 – A number of calls for proposals announced this week under the European Union's principal instrument for funding research (FP7) aim to advance renewable heating and cooling technologies. Of particular interest is the call for ‘Next generation heat pump technologies’ such as those using natural refrigerants, as well as a call for ‘Large scale systems for urban heating and cooling’ that make use of low temperature waste heat. » read more
July brings F-Gas Regulation deadlines across the EU
Jul. 18, 2011 – 4 July 2011 marked several official deadlines stipulated by the European F-Gas Regulation, with both individuals and companies now required to hold full F Gas Certificates and the European Commission expected to publish a report on the application of the regulation on the basis of which it could subsequently present proposals for revising it. Meanwhile, the climate protection opportunities inherent in tackling non-CO2 gases such as HFCs are increasingly being discussed in the European Parliament. » read more
SEPEMO invited to the ENERGY GLOBE Award
Jun. 28, 2011 – Launched in 1999, the ENERGY GLOBE World Award for Sustainability is today’s most prominent and prestigious environmental prize. Each year some 800 projects and initiatives from all over the world are submitted to compete for the award. The award distinguishes projects that sustainably use our resources such as water, earth, energy and air or use renewable energy forms. Now, it has been a privilege that the SEPEMO-Build consortium was invited to submit its project to the award 2011. » read more
Eight new test sites from Germany
Jun. 10, 2011 – As part of the SEPEMO project information and results from eight German test sites have been added to the project website and the Heat Pump Best Practice Database as well. These objects are monitored as part of the “WP Monitor” project which started in 2009. “WP Monitor” is a German monitoring project run by Fraunhofer ISE in Freiburg. » read more
IEA issues heating and cooling technology roadmap
May. 24, 2011 – A new International Energy Agency (IEA) roadmap for heating and cooling systems underlines the importance of heat pumps in the transformation of the buildings sector towards a low carbon future, envisaging 3,500 million installed heat pumps in the residential sector worldwide by 2050. Further R&D is required to reduce costs and develop new products, while heat pump systems integrated with thermal energy storage will become the norm. » read more
Project brochure available
May. 13, 2011 – An eight-sided project brochure presenting objectives, workpackage description, preliminary results and some case studies is published and available for download from the project website. » read more
New energy management software tool
May. 11, 2011 – RETScreen International, in collaboration with the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) and the NASA Langley Research Center, is developing a new energy management software tool. RETScreen’s forthcoming Performance Analysis module will enable users to monitor, analyze, and report key energy performance data to facility operators, managers and senior decision-makers. » read more
Annual report 2010 of IEA HPP published
May. 06, 2011 – The IEA Heat Pump Programme Annual Report for 2010 describes the work of the programme during last year including Chairman's statement, information about the Annexes, programme achievments and the highlights of 2010. The objectives of Annex 37 as well as Annex 39 are closely related to those of the SEPEMO-Build project.
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UK: National Heat Pump Awards 2011
May. 04, 2011 – This is the heat pump industry’s unique opportunity to highlight and reward the best products, projects and professionals in what is set to be one of the UK’s fastest growing industries. There are 10 categories of award and entries are being accepted now. All finalists will receive full publicity, both at the black tie Awards Dinner being held at the ICC Birmingham on 23rd June 2011 and in "Heat Pumps Today".
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UK seminar on heat pumps: lessons from Norway, Sweden and France
Apr. 18, 2011 – Titled ‘Heat pump technology - European experiences’, a seminar organised on 7 April 2011 by the UK Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) and the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) brought together representatives from various European countries to discuss case studies outlining national incentives encouraging the rapid uptake of heat pumps. » read more
SEPEMO represented at Ground-Med conference
Apr. 13, 2011 – The Intermediate European project conference of the FP7 project GROUND-MED is going to take place in Marseille, France on October 6 & 7, 2011. Objectives and preliminary results of the SEPEMO-Build project shall be presented by the project coordinator Roger Nordman, SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden. » read more
New German funding guidelines for renewable energies
Apr. 11, 2011 – In March 2011, the German government revised its subsidies for renewable energies, amending inter alia the incentive scheme for heat pumps. Large heat pumps for industrial use are now also eligible for funding, provided by the German government-owned development bank KfW Banking Group.
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Britain’s renewable heat support: air-source heat pumps left out
Mar. 15, 2011 – The British government has announced details of its Renewable Heat Incentive policy that will encourage the uptake of renewable heat, including heat pumps. Long-term tariff support will initially be targeted at the non-domestic sector, while air source heat pumps will not be supported from the outset of the scheme but be considered for eligibility from 2012. » read more
New Annexes of the IEA Heat Pump Programme are starting
Feb. 08, 2011 – At the last ExCo meeting of the IEA Heat Pump Programme (HPP) four new annexes where approved to start. Three of them are dealing with the same topics like the SEPEMO-Build project (heat pump system quality, field measurements, common method for testing and rating of seasonal performance).
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EHPA award "Heat pump city of the year"
Jan. 13, 2011 – Europe's climate protection and energy savings targets are demanding. It requires immediate action on all political levels to achieve meaningful results by 2020 already. Heat pumps are an available, reliable, efficient and cost effective solution in this quest. Unfortunately the technology is often very well hidden in basements and technic-rooms of buildings. » read more
IEA issues report on retrofit heat pumps for buildings in Europe
Dec. 15, 2010 – With the market potential of heat pumps for retrofitting existing buildings in Europe being much bigger than in new buildings, the International Energy Agency (IEA) Heat Pump Programme has put together a report on how to overcome the barriers in this appealing market sector. CO2 offers a solution for coping with the high design temperature of conventional heating systems that dominate in existing buildings. » read more
EHPA - Sepemo newsletter released: Market outlook 2009 and field measurement in focus
Dec. 08, 2010 – This fall is a season of reports on energy! The EU has published an update on its energy strategy, a new efficiency regulation is underway and EHPA has just now published one of its major reports: The Outlook 2010 - European Heat Pump Statistics. In the effort to implement the major Regulations and Directives passed recently, a solid database will become more and more important. EHPA is contributing to this challenge! » read more
Analysis of the German heat pump market
Nov. 18, 2010 – A study recently presented by the Internationl Geothermal Center Bochum, Germany finds that by 2017 the number of ground-source heat pumps (GSHP) using geothermal and hydrothermal energy, sold annually in Germany will reach approx. 65.000 units. This number is a projection of the guidance given by the ministry for the environment in its own study ("Leitscenario"). » read more
First national workshop took place in France
Oct. 25, 2010 – At all twelve national workshops are scheduled to take place during the SEPEMO-Build project. Now, 47 participants attented the first workshop which was held on 7-8 October 2010 in Dinan, France. An event report summarizes the findings of this event. » read more
GROUND-MED information meeting to take place in Brussels
Oct. 19, 2010 – On 26 October 2010 the GROUND-MED project consortium will present initial results on state-of-the-art heat pump research at a meeting in Brussels. GROUND-MED focusses on achieving a measured seasonal performance (SPF) higher than 5,0 in eight exisiting demonstration buildings in the Mediterranean region. As the SPF is determined not only by the heat pump unit, but by its operating conditions imposed by both the ground heat exchanger and the heating/cooling system of the building, preparatory work is necessary to optimize each system design for the local conditions. » read more
EHPA News reports on progress of the SEPEMO project
Sep. 29, 2010 – The project partners of SEPEMO-Build have developed a proposal for the definition of system boundaries and corresponding Seasonal Performance Factor (SPF) calculation models for heat pump systems (heating and cooling), to be applied in field measurements. The various system boundaries
stretch from the heat pump refrigeration cycle to the whole heating
system and will lead to a common system evaluation which allows for a comparison of different measured systems. The definition of the system boundaries has direct impact on the measurement equipment needed to measure the parameters required for the calculation of the different SPF values.
» read more
Recommendations from the UK’s largest heat pump trial
Sep. 17, 2010 – Results have been published from the UK’s largest field trial monitoring 83 heat pumps installed in UK homes. The trial has been undertaken to determine the key factors that impact the performance of domestic heat pumps. The trial included technical parameters (such as system sizing and installation) and customer feedback & behaviour. » read more
New project information from BINE Information Service
Sep. 07, 2010 – BINE, the German information service for applied research on energy saving and efficient use of energy including renewable resources, has recently published two information flyers presenting results from R&D projects with ground source heat pumps. » read more
EU Sustainable Energy Week 2011
Jul. 13, 2010 – Between 11 and 15 April 2011 next year's EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), Europe's key event for a more sustainable energy future, will take place. Hundreds of events organised in all parts of Europe will show, promote, discuss and celebrate energy efficiency and renewable energy - and you can be a part of it. » read more
Looking into the future: smart fridge and heat pump trials
Jun. 08, 2010 – Three hundred smart fridges will be delivered across the UK in the coming months in order to carry out what will be Europe’s first residential trial of smart grid technology. A similar trial, this time with heat pumps “talking” to the grid is set to take place in 2011 in Denmark. Allowing for electricity demand-side management, the technology has the potential to realise sizeable CO2 emissions reductions. » read more
EHPA newsletter published
May. 19, 2010 – Just before the EHPA General Assembly taking place in Brussels on 19 May 2010 the new issue of European Heat Pump News was finished. This edition is focused on heat pump based hybrid systems and includes an article on the successful dinner debate on the accounting methods in energy statistics, which was part of the dissemination activities of SEPEMO-Build project. » read more
A big success: EHPA/SEPEMO Dinner Debate on 13 April 2010
Apr. 22, 2010 – Hosted by MEP Dr. Paul Rübig, the EHPA organized its second dinner debate in the European Parliament in Brussels on 13 April 2010. The keynote speech was held by Nikolaos Roubanis from Eurostat on the accounting methods for different renewable energy sources in European Energy Statistics and its further development. He presented an extensive overview on how renewables are counted in primary and final energy and pointed out important issues for future developments. » read more
First VDI heat pump symposium in Stuttgart
Apr. 15, 2010 – On 8-9 June 2010 the 1. VDI-Konferenz "Wärmepumpen - Umweltwärme effizient nutzen" (Heat pumps - Efficient use of ambient heat) will take place in Stuttgart, Germany. Experts from R&D and industry will discuss the following topics: » read more
High unit COP does not assure system efficiency
Apr. 08, 2010 – Over 100 experts from industry, science and energy utilities attented the heat pump sypmposium of Test - und Weiterbildungszentrum Wärmepumpen und Kältetechnik (TWK) in Karlsruhe, Germany. However, planners and installers as the most important target group were underrepresented. » read more
Heat Pump World at RENEXPO® Austria 2010
Mar. 19, 2010 – The international trade fair and conference RENEXPO® Austria takes place on 25-27 November 2010 in Salzburg. It covers the entire spectrum of regenerative energies with the main emphasis on bioenergy and hydro power as well as energy efficiency, addressing first and foremost energy efficient building and renovation and mobility. This year RENEXPO® Austria presents the "Heat Pump World", assisted by Bundesverband Wärme Pumpe Austria and the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA). » read more
SEPEMO project at EUSEW in Brussels
Feb. 17, 2010 – The EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) takes place in Brussels from 22 to 26 March 2010. It is one of the largest events on sustainable energy issues in Europe. The SEPEMO-Build project shall be presented at the session "Future cities = heat pump cities?" which is organised by the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) on 23 March 2010. » read more
UK Eco House features SANYO s CO2 heat pump
Feb. 03, 2010 – SANYO has supplied its CO2 heat pump for a ground-breaking Eco House in Devon, UK. The Eco House will serve as training and educational centre on heat pumps for field engineers, architects and local authorities. » read more
AHRI commends Energy Star designation for geothermal heat pumps
Jan. 18, 2010 – The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) recently commended the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the agency's recent announcement of new requirements for residential geothermal heat pumps (GHPs), which enabled water-to-water GHPs to earn the Energy Star® label for the first time. » read more
EHPA fall newsletter published
Jan. 07, 2010 – In December last year the EHPA fall newsletter was finished. The focus is on heat pump efficiency and an overview on the SEPEMO-Build project is provided.
» read more
METI initiates research on next generation heat pumps
Oct. 23, 2009 – In Japan the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has initiated research on next generation heat pump systems. In August the Next Generation Heat Pump Research Council was set up within the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) for the purpose of examining concrete proposals to expand the introduction and application of advanced energy technology as well as conducting research on the potential and directions of technology development. » read more
ATW heat pumps to qualify for UK business tax incentive scheme
Sep. 07, 2009 - The 2009 draft of a list that details the criteria for each type of technology that qualifies for the Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme, the main UK scheme encouraging businesses to invest in energy-saving equipment, for the first time considers single split and packaged air-to-water heat pumps. » read more
GSHPs win the German energy savings competition
Jul. 27, 2009 – The German Energy Agency (DENA) and the Federal Ministry for the Environment were searching for hidden champions in the housing renovation sector. They found six winners of the category "heat pumps" and and the first winner of the category "combined heating systems" - all using ground source heat pumps! » read more
