News about the project

09-03-29

Successful conference, training and project meeting in Varna, Bulgaria. On the 26th, a heat pump conference gathered some 100+ participants, to be followed by a training session on heat pumps the 27th. This time, more than 40people attended.

2009-02-09

New deliverable on solar energy and heat pumps now available in both English and French.

EU expands definition of renewable energy

On 17 December 2008, the European Parliament adopted the eagerly awaited EU Directive on the Promotion of Renewable Energy Sources. The final compromise text recognises for the first time aerothermal and hydrothermal energy as sources of renewable energy under EU law.

Under the new legislation, each member state should increase its share of renewable energies to 20 % by 2020.

The European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE), the voice of the heating, cooling and refrigeration industry in Europe, is delighted that the use of aerothermal energy (energy in the air) and hydrothermal energy (energy stored in water) – both to be utilised by heat pumps - will now be promoted as part of the new EU policy on renewable energy sources.

Frans Hoorelbeke, Chairman of EPEE, commented:

“The potential of aerothermal and hydrothermal energy sources is enormous and can greatly contribute to Member States’ success in reaching their renewable energy targets of 20 % by 2020.”

Geothermal, aerothermal and hydrothermal energy is currently exploited using heat pumps, which were recognised as such “renewable energy technologies” by the EU, alongside wind turbines and solar panels.

So far, heat pumps have the widest prevalence in Sweden, but selling rates are expanding all over Europe.

22 September 2008

An interview with Dr. Roger Nordman of the ProHeatPump project was published by the Spanish web based Journal Refrige. Read the interview in english at

http://www.refrige.com/interviews/-we-link-knowledge-from-experienced-installers-with-new-markets-/menu-id-2533.html

or in spanish at

http://www.refrige.com/entrevistas/-conectamos-los-conocimientos-de-instaladores-experientes-con-mercados-nuevos-/menu-id-83.html

22 September 2008
Successful Proheatpump meeting held in Edinburgh (Watch presentations here)

As part of the EU IEE Proheatpump project, a mini-conference under the name of ”GSHPScotland” was held on September 22.

The event was aimed at installers, architects and manufacturers of heat pumps, but of course others were also welcome. The event was divided into an exhibition, where manufacturers and service providers showed their products, and a conference/workshop where many aspects of GSHPs were discussed.

Plenary talks included a brief introduction to the UK GSHP scene, and key organisations introduced themselves, e.g. GSHPA, HPA, EST. Further on, key issues were identified and points of contention and challenges were described.

The four workshops that were held covered topics of interest to architects and builders , installers (technical), installers (marketing) and those concerned with policy and regulation.

In the architects’ and builders’ workshop, the objective was to provide an opportunity for participants to present experience and cases, to introduce participants not yet involved in GSHPs to the technology and issues, and to identify requirements:  policies, support, information, forms of cooperation.

The technical workshop for installers focused on introducing newcomers to key requirements, issues, choices for design and installation of systems, and to industry structure and relations, contracting, etc. In addition, an introduction to accreditation and training systems and requirements was given. Presentations and views on case studies of installations were given, to share early experience and problems and also to allow experienced installers to describe their experience.

Workshop 3, Installer Marketing, was held to summarise general publicity for GSHPs, supplier and installer marketing methods and experience, and to summarise and review results of PHP marketing surveys among installers.  It was important to identify requirements and actions concerning policies, support, information, forms of cooperation, national publicity and information initiatives.

Workshop 4, policy and regulation identified and explored key policy and regulatory issues and requirements as well as examined experiences and values of subsidy schemes and other financial support measures.

In total, about 160 participants attended this one-day event. Many voices were heard that this was an excellent organised event that brought many different groups and interests together to share experience.

"I never knew heat pumps were so much fun"  

"A large audience listened to experiences and interesting news"

"Organiser Stewart Russel from UEDIN and the Proheatpump project summarised the day"