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SIXTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME
Horizontal Research Activities
Involving SMEs
Collective Research Projects
Proposal/Contract no.: 500229-2

Project proposer and coordinator:

Groupement pour la recherche sur les Echangeurs Thermiques (Greth)

Project proposer:

European Heat Pump Association (EHPA)

Current refrigerants an argument against heat pumps

Sep. 16, 2009 - Heat pumps are already fully cost-competitive, and in new and renovated buildings outcompete oil and gas, manufacturer Daikin confirms. The dangers from refrigerants and their decomposition products, however, is an issue Daikin is addressing in a Japanese research project. By 2010, findings are expected to be used also in Germany.

In an article published on 7 August, Werner Rolles, Chairman of Daikin Airconditioning Germany GmbH, confirms that heat pumps for space heating are fully cost competitive when taking into account all costs. In well-isolated new buildings heat pumps could hence significantly reduce the CO₂ emissions burden attributed to the heating system. With an already good basic CO₂ balance, heat pumps could deliver on additional environmental pledges by using a higher share of renewable energies in the future. By 2020, Germany plans to have 47% of all electricity provided by renewable energies.

One strong argument against a wider use of heat pumps would be the refrigerants used, the article finds. With the dangers arising from the refrigerants and their decomposition products in the atmosphere not yet clear, Daikin is participating in a research project investigating more environmentally friendly working fluids. The Japanese manufacturer has partnered up with the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to research into non-fluorinated substances.

Source: R744.com

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