Heat pumps

- Analysis of sales of heat pumps in Austria over 2003 and 2004 has shown good growth in the heating and controlled dwelling ventilation segments. The figures were compiled with the National Ministry for Transportation, Innovation and Technology, with support from the National Austrian Heat Pump Association (BWP) and the Austrian Heat Pump Promotion Association (LGWA). Sales rose 18.4% (reaching 4700 units) over the period and the most popular systems are brine/water, direct vaporization, water/water and air/water, with market shares of 50%, 26%, 14% and 10% respectively. - The Dutch heat-pump market shows remarkable growth: of the 5000 heat pumps in use in The Netherlands in 2004, 1500 were purchased in 2004. A compulsory quality scheme ensures that the COPs and noise levels are tested. Two new initiatives are promoting the use of heat pumps: i) effluent (at a temperature of 11-23°C) from a sewage plant will be used as a heat source in a system used to heat up to 10 000 residences; and ii) starting in 2006, sea water (at 11-23°C) will be used in The Hague as heat source for a system heating 749 buildings - a world first. - The heat-pump market in Germany grew 30% in 2004. The German market is experiencing ongoing growth and 12 636 heating units and 3784 hot-water heat pumps were sold in 2004. Around 50% are ground-source systems. In all, Germany now has over 90 000 heat-pump heating systems. These systems enable CO2 emissions to be reduced by at least 170 000 tonnes/year compared with modern low-temperature oil-fired boilers.