Over the last few years, I’ve written several columns describing how air-to-water heat pumps can provide heating, cooling and domestic hot water for homes. Many of the systems involve buffer tanks to help stabilize heat transfer from the heat pump to a zoned distribution system.
Heat pumps offer attractive solutions to energy-efficient heating and cooling, and the market is growing. According to a November 2021 report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), nearly 180 million heat pumps were used for heating in 2020, as the global stock increased nearly 10% per year over the past five years.
The fourth edition of "Modern Hydronic Heating & Cooling, for Residential and Light Commercial Buildings" will be available through major booksellers on April 1.
As interest and incentives build to transition space heating and domestic water heating systems away from fossil fuels and toward electricity, a somewhat predictable but only marginally quantified problem is developing. Two words describe it: Peak demand.
As natural gas rates increase and the push for more sustainable energy sources intensifies, heat pump water heaters appear poised for massive growth. States such as California and Massachusetts already have regulations prohibiting or disincentivizing gas water heaters in new construction, and New York City recently enacted similar restrictions for new construction. So, are heat pump water heaters the future of the water heating market? Maybe or maybe not — but some industry experts certainly think so.
Bosch Thermotechnology’s new ultra-quiet QV series heat pumps for commercial spaces are available in multiple sizes and both horizontal and vertical configurations.