What is the energy source for heat pumps?

The combustion fuel half of the system could be propane, natural gas, oil, or even coal and wood. In comparison with a combustion fuel-fired furnace or standard heat pump alone, this type of system is also economical.

How much energy does a heat pump produce?

A ground source heat pump can deliver 3 to 4 kilowatts (kW) of heat for every 1 kW of electricity it consumes. Using freely available heat energy from the ground, it achieves higher efficiency than any other heating system.

How does a heat pump use electricity?

A heat pump that has a CoP of three can create three kW of heat from every one kW of electricity. The average home requires around 12,000 kilowatt hours (KwH) of heat per year. Therefore, in order to achieve this, a heat pump with a CoP of three would use 4,000 kW of electricity annually.

Why do heat pumps use so much electricity?

As heat pumps require electricity to operate, the higher the COP ( coefficient of performance) of your heat pump, the more energy you will extract from the air or ground per unit of electricity used to operate the pump.

When did the US start using geothermal heat pumps?

U.S. Department of Energy Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs), sometimes referred to as GeoExchange, earth-coupled, ground-source, or water-source heat pumps, have been in use since the late 1940s. They use the constant temperature of the earth as the exchange medium instead of the outside air temperature.

How does a heat pump affect the environment?

Heat pumps, like every renewable technology, require energy to produce and raw materials to build them. They all have an initial ‘cost’ to our environment in their material extraction from the ground and the energy they consume during the manufacturing process.

Which is better a geothermal heat pump or air source heat pump?

Some models of geothermal systems are available with two-speed compressors and variable fans for more comfort and energy savings. Relative to air-source heat pumps, they are quieter, last longer, need little maintenance, and do not depend on the temperature of the outside air.