Ground Source Heat Pumps

Ground Source Heat Pump Design

Heat pumps are electrical devices which move heat from one place (a source) to another (a ‘sink’ or end-use). The heat source can be a renewable ambient source: the air, the ground; a lake or river; or the natural ground-water.

The general point is that for every unit of energy consumed in the heat pump as electricity, three, four, or more units of energy are delivered into the building as heat.

The ratio of rate of energy units delivered as heat to rate of energy units consumed as electricity is known as the Co-efficient of Performance (CoP). This is an instantaneous value which changes with operating conditions. The overall ratio of energy delivered to energy consumed over the duration of the heating season (October to May) is known as the Seasonal Performance Factor.

The electricity consumption to make the systems operate may not be from a renewable energy source (although it could be), but most of the energy delivered as heat is from a renewable energy source, hence the carbon emissions saving.

Heat pump systems generally have higher capital cost than conventional fossil-based heating systems. The possible payback comes from potentially lower operating costs which result from the CoP multiplier effect.

With all of these potential variables, it is essential that a feasibility study is carried out to assess the savings, costs and the potential payback period.
NIFES specialist renewable energy and design engineers can then design, specify, project manage and install the system from inception to completion. We take away the burden of legislative compliance; NIFES liaises with local authorities if needs be to ensure the installation meets all national regulatory requirements.

What NIFES Can Offer