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Support for heat pumps grows in EU & New Zealand |
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Heat pumps are on their way to become the preferred way of heating and cooling in different world regions. R744.com provides you with an overview of their high popularity in New Zealand, revised tax breaks for heat pumps in France, and a new EU-funded website to speed up their commercialization.
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2008-01-28
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There is an upward trend for heat pumps worldwide, covering all possible applications and energy sources. Some of them could be CO2-based in the future:
New Zealand: Use of heat pumps rises rapidly
Heat pumps are rapidly gaining popularity in New Zealand, first findings from a new study by construction research group Branz has shown. The full report, to be released later this year, indicates that New Zealanders are moving away from solid fuel heating to equip their homes with electricity-driven heat pumps all across the country. Branz’s research shows that now about 45% of all new homes have a heat pump installed, with overall sales doubling from those three years ago to 80,000 units sold in 2007. While the majority of heat pumps is still used in the cold regions of New Zealand, summer usage has increased throughout the country.
The national survey on how New Zealanders used heat pumps also showed that, although the use of heat pumps could mean higher annual electricity consumption, their high efficiency will make up for these costs: "Most users of heat pumps are very happy with their decision, despite the trend towards an increase in the overall use of electricity," Branz energy scientist Lisa French said. As a result, 40% of all homes in New Zealand have replaced their wood burner or gas heater with a heat pump unit.
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EU: Project to accelerate heat pump marketing
To promote energy-efficient heat pumps for the residential sector and small- & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and improve the marketing strategies for heat pumps in EU countries with low market penetration are main objectives of the EU project "Proheatpump" launched in 2007. The project, funded under the "Intelligent Energy" scheme of the European Commission, seeks to increase the number of heat pumps installed in the participating countries Bulgaria, France, Germany, Sweden and the UK. To that end, it collects and distributes practical information for installers, end users, and policy makers.
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The revised project website launched in January 2008 offers information on the project work schedule so far, policy measures having an impact on the dissemination of heat pumps, and the technical, economic and environmental aspects of using renewables and heat pumps combined . Main obstacles for a wide-spread use of heat pumps remain the different legislative frameworks across the EU, as well as diverse market situations. Proheatpump focuses on ground source heat pumps, and air-to-water units.
France: New tax breaks for heat pumps
As from January 2008 on there are new regulations for the tax breaks in relation to heat pumps in France. All heat pump models must achieve a minimum Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 3.3 at exactly defined temperatures to receive the national tax concession. The so-called "Crédit d’Impôt" was introduced by the French government in 2005 to promote sustainable heating solutions and the most energy-efficient equipment. The latest decree from 13 November 2007 has increased the necessary COP by 0.3 from 3.0 and included air-to-air models for the first time. So far, only new and refurbished buildings with geothermal and air-to-water units received financial support.
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More information:
 Proheatpump project: Analysis of Marketing Instruments, 2007 (330 KB)
› Proheatpump project website
› France: Decree "Crédit d'Impôt", 20 Nov 2007 (FR)
› Read the article: "Heat Pumps capture new markets in Asia & the EU", 3 Jan 2008
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