Communal heat pump networks could be the solution for decarbonizing heat in both urban high-rises and other challenging-to-heat homes. These enormous heat pumps are being implemented in cities and towns across the globe, including New York City and rural Cornwall.
One family in the remote village of Stithians, in southwest England, is piloting a new approach to low-carbon heating. The project designs a heat pump system that can be delivered at scale across streets, towns, and cities, providing a model for urban spaces worldwide. This approach is crucial for decarbonizing heating, which accounts for a third of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Heat pumps are incredibly efficient, converting 1 kilowatt of electricity into 3-5 kilowatts of heat, compared to 1 kilowatt for a direct electrical heater and 0.9 kilowatts for a gas boiler. They concentrate heat energy already present in air, ground, or water and pump it through a building’s pipes and radiators. Heat pumps emit no carbon if the source of electricity is renewable.
The UK government has committed to designating heat network zones by 2025 and mandating that people connect to them. This will make the business model for building heat networks more financially viable.Now is the time to consider an air source or ground source heat pump.