Ground Source Heat Pumps Can Help UK

An Environment Agency report has stated that, by 2020, ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) could meet a third of the UK’s renewable heat requirements.

GSHPs use energy stored in the ground as a means of heating and cooling buildings, and as a supply of hot water. The use of such pumps is becoming more popular in London, where developers have utilised them to satisfy their on-site renewable energy generation obligations. Nevertheless, compared to countries like Sweden, where the technology is in widespread use, the UK is lagging somewhat.

It is estimated that there are currently 8000 GSHPs in the UK but, according to the Agency’s report, if the Government were to support them sufficiently, this figure could rise to more than one million. The Agency views the Renewable Heat Incentive, under which, homeowners and businesses will be guaranteed a price for generating renewable heat, as a key factor in this respect.

The Agency’s Head of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Tony Grayling, made the point that ground source heating represented a rapidly growing technology that had the potential to meet at least 30% of the country’s renewable heat requirements, but emphasised the fact that adequate financial support would be imperative for this to happen.

Further information regarding GSHP and how it works can be found here

Source: Croners

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