Air source heat pumps are one the best alternatives to traditional gas boilers – and with the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme knocking £7,500 off the price of heat pumps, there’s never been a better time for households to invest.
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But what are their commercial applications? And do they have a distinct advantage over ordinary boilers?
We’re diving into everything you need to know about commercial air source heat pumps, from their cost to their suitability for businesses, through to what alternatives there are and whether your building is suitable for one.
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What type of central heating do you currently use?
Get startedFirst, a general look at what an air source heat pump is. An air source heat pump is a sustainable way of heating a building, without relying on fossil fuels. It does this by extracting the warmth from the ambient air outside, using this heat to warm radiators and provide hot water.
An air source heat pump is able to warm buildings by funnelling the warm air extracted from the outside through a compressor (also known as a heat exchanger), which raises the temperature. This makes it so heating a home with an air source heat pump feels much the same as it would with an ordinary boiler.
They look a lot like a typical air-conditioning unit and the amount of heat they can generate depends on the size of the unit. For most residential buildings in the UK, a single unit is more than sufficient to provide heating throughout the year. For commercial buildings however, you’ll typically need more than one unit, or a larger, more powerful one.
Despite gradually growing in popularity, only 51% of people are aware of heat pumps, according to our National Home Energy Survey.
Here’s a diagram showing how an air source heat pump works:
Heat pumps aren’t strictly used for heating, as they can work as an air conditioner in warmer weather. Buying an air source heat pump for your business then, means getting two products in one!
Smart businesses are always looking for ways to reduce their operating costs, something that a reliance on fossil-fuel powered heating systems has always made difficult. Not only difficult, but unpredictable too, because you never know when there might be a shortage of fuel. We’ve already seen the effects of this on energy suppliers across the country.
This makes commercial air source heat pumps an attractive prospect, because really the only things you’ll personally be paying for are the unit, the installation costs, and the electricity needed to power it.
Of course, it’s important to remember that a good deal of the UK’s electricity is still generated by fossil fuels, though renewable energy’s contribution to the National Grid is improving.
Obviously, these costs still need to be considered before making a decision, but we’re going to show you how much commercial air source heat pumps cost, and most importantly, how they can save you money.
Air source heat pumps are far more efficient than ordinary gas-powered boilers. They don’t use any fossil fuels and only need electricity to keep them going. Plus, this high efficiency can see air source heat pumps reach efficiency ratings of 300%. This means you’ll be generating three units of energy for every one unit of electricity the heat pump takes in.
Compare this to even the most efficient boilers, which can only reach an absolute max efficiency rating of 98%. Right now though, electricity is roughly four times more expensive than gas, so the actual running costs of an air source heat pump versus a gas-powered boiler is similar.
This is expected to change over the years though, as the UK sees more of its electricity generated from renewable sources (such as solar power). With this in mind then, you can confidently say that air source heat pumps will reach far lower operating costs than gas-powered boilers, which themselves are susceptible to the uncertainty of gas prices.
If you’re wondering exactly how an air source heat pump is so efficient, it’s because it doesn’t create heat, it simply transfers it. This gives it the ability to be more than 100% efficient.
Maintenance costs for air source heat pumps are very low too, thanks to the fact that they last substantially longer than ordinary boilers. Depending on the power of the heat pump, you’ll be looking at between £135-300 (plus VAT) for a full service.
Depending on the size of your building, and how large a unit or how many you need, you should expect to pay between £6,000 and £18,000 (including installation) for a commercial air source heat pump.
Naturally, this can scale beyond £18,000 if you need to stack multiple units.
By no longer needing to purchase fuel, a commercial air source heat pump will help businesses save money that would be otherwise spent on fuel bills. In fact, a study done by the Energy Saving Trust revealed that commercial heat pumps can save businesses around £3,000 per year, if not more for larger installations.
Another study of heat pumps showed that the overall savings on fuel costs from air source heat pumps can be as much as 51% per year. And with new models boasting even greater efficiency, it’s likely that these savings will get even higher.
Be aware though, that a poorly insulated building will not see a heat pump reach its true potential. In fact, if your building is not properly insulated, a heat pump can actually end up costing you more than a boiler, so bear this in mind.
What type of central heating do you currently use?
Get startedPutting an exact number on the number of businesses currently using air source heat pumps is difficult. What we can do, however, is tell you how many are expected to be built over the next few years.
The International Energy Agency reports that the UK is expecting to deploy 600,000 heat pumps every year until . To be clear, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll stop deploying after !
This ambitious target will require a significant push from the UK government, especially considering that their Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme is now coming to an end in March .
Whether your building will be suitable for a commercial air source heat pump depends on a number of factors. Namely:
Another thing you’ll need to consider is your existing radiators. This is because air source heat pumps run at a slightly lower temperature of 50-55°C (122-131°F), compared to 65-80°C (149-176°F) for boilers. Subsequently, you’ll need bigger radiators to make air source heat pumps worth it.
Air source heat pumps aren’t the only sustainable heating solutions out there. One such solution is a ground source heat pump, which is a similar concept to air source heat pumps, only this time the warmth comes from the ground.
Like an air source heat pump, a ground source heat pump extracts ambient warmth and runs it through a compressor. It does this by running a series of pipes filled with water (and often antifreeze) underground. These pipes are warmed by the ambient heat of the soil. There are typically two types of ground source heat pumps – vertical and horizontal.
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A vertical ground source heat pump requires a borehole to be drilled, with the pipes running vertically down to the bottom. A horizontal installation is where the piping is laid a metre or so underground across a wider area.
Generally speaking, vertical installations are more expensive because of the specialist machinery needed to drill the borehole. Horizontal installations, whilst cheaper, do require more land.
Businesses across the UK are already taking advantage of the benefits of air source heat pumps. And the best part? There’s proof out there that even older buildings can make use of heat pumps, when done right.
Check out what JM Renewable Solutions managed to install for this rustic B&B in Wales. The fact that the B&B was able to reduce their energy bills by 50% is impressive, especially considering that older buildings are often far less efficient and thus more expensive to heat.
Another great example of commercial heat pump application is this installation on a block of flats by Valliant. Whilst not a business per se, it’s always encouraging to see sustainable ways of heating homes on a larger scale.
As heat pumps increase in popularity, we expect to see more businesses adopt the technology to not only reduce their bills, but cut their carbon emissions.
After all, reducing our carbon footprint is the most important thing in our fight against climate change right now. Having lower or zero emissions is great for business’ image too!
It’s clear already that this technology can knock boilers off of the throne, we just hope to see the UK government do more to help businesses make the switch.
Unfortunately, the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is set to end in March , with applications no longer being accepted.
Heat pumps are still a great option, though. If you want to see how much you could save your business by using heat pumps, just pop a few details into our easy-to-use comparison tool.
Our suppliers will send you free quotes for you to compare, and you’ll be reaping the rewards in no time.
More Australians are installing heat pump water heaters as an energy-efficient alternative to traditional electric and gas hot water systems. They use ambient heat from the surrounding air to heat water, helping homeowners save on their hot water energy consumption and reduce their carbon emissions.
However, there are some common questions to consider before installing a heat pump. In this article, we’ll look at the 10 most frequently asked questions about heat pump water heaters to help you make an informed decision.
A heat pump extracts heat from the surrounding air and transfers it to your water in a few key steps:
Solar and heat pump water heaters are both renewable options, but have some key differences. Solar hot water heaters use the sun’s direct and indirect solar radiation to heat water through collectors mounted on the roof, whereas a heat pump uses the ambient heat in the surrounding air.
A heat pump is an excellent alternative for homes where solar may not be suitable due to reasons such as too much shade, limited roof space and your home’s orientation.
Heat pumps are eligible for Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs), an Australian Federal Government program to reduce the upfront cost. Some states also have their own incentives which can be used in addition to STCs to help further reduce the initial cost.
How much you can save with these incentives depends on your location, the capacity and efficiency of your new heat pump water heater, and the system you are replacing.
ALSO READ: What renewable energy incentives are available in Australia?
Not only does a heat pump have a similar storage tank to an electric hot water system, but it often uses similar electrical and plumbing connections, making for an easy replacement provided your existing system is installed outdoors.1
A heat pump needs sufficient space outdoors for air circulation, so be sure to speak with your plumber or local Rheem solar specialist to evaluate your setup.
Heat pumps work in cold weather to ensure you have hot water when you need it most. Here are some details on the temperatures Rheem heat pump water heaters can operate in:
If temperatures fall below the minimum level or the heat pump stops heating for any reason, there is a backup element to ensure you always have a supply of hot water. The Rheem MPi- 325 Series II Heat Pump has a 3.6kW backup element, and the Rheem AmbiPower and Ambiheat options have a 2.4kW element.
How much energy you can save depends on different factors including the climate where you live, type of water heater being replaced, hot water consumption and fuel tariff. As a guide, here is how much you could save when replacing a similar-sized electric water heater with each Rheem heat pump.3
Installing a heat pump has environmental benefits. Because they use a renewable source of energy, they consume less energy and emit fewer carbon emissions.
Also, newer heat pump systems are manufactured using lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants. GWP is a measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere over a specific time, usually 100 years. When released in the atmosphere, they act like a blanket insulating the earth and have a significant impact on global warming. Hence, the lower the GWP a heat pump has, the more environmentally friendly it is.
Rheem’s AmbiPower 280e Heat Pump uses the Ultra Low GWP refrigerant R290. The Rheem AmbiPower MDc-180 and Rheem Ambiheat HDc-270 Heat Pumps use low GWP refrigerant 513a.
Heat pumps make some noise due to the operation of the fan. Newer systems are designed to make less noise, comparable to that of an air conditioner or refrigerator.
It is recommended you have an annual inspection of your heat pump water heater by a plumber. This includes checking and cleaning air filters, inspecting the refrigerant level and removing any sediment buildup in the tank.
A licensed plumber will:
For more information about heat pumps or if you’re looking to install one for your home, speak to your local plumber or contact your local Rheem solar specialist today.
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