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| NewsMar. 20, 2009 - MENA Geothermal has been awarded the prestigious ENERGY GLOBE AWARD 2008 - Palestine. The award honors companies and individuals for outstanding contributions in the fields of renewable energy, energy conservation, and environmental responsibility. Winners are selected from among 700 applicants world wide, and are chosen by an international jury comprised of prominent scientific, academic, and industry leaders. MENA Geothermal installs geothermal system in new UCI2 commercial building Mar. 16, 2009 - MENA Geothermal proudly announces the commencement of work on a new geothermal heating and cooling system for the new commercial building of Union Construction and Investment Corporation (UCI) in Ramallah, Palestine. This large-scale commercial application will be the second largest geothermal system in the Middle East and North Africa region. ASHRAE issues position on natural refrigerants Mar. 09, 2009 - For the first time, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers has made public its position as regards natural refrigerants, including ammonia and hydrocarbons. ASHRAE has now committed to support research, assessment, and strategic growth in the use of natural refrigerants in refrigeration systems and technologies. Ammonia in small systems: testing a prototype Mar. 03, 2009 - The EU SHERHPA project developed and tested a 9 kW water-to-water heat pump running on ammonia. This third article discusses aspects of the prototype development and first results showing that small R717 systems using compact heat exchangers can give competitive COP results at a significantly reduced refrigerant charge. Highly efficient heat pump from thermea. Mar. 02, 2009 - After sparking high interest in their newly developed large scale heat pumps at last year's trade fair Chillventa, thermea. is now adding its CO2 high temperature model "thermea. HHS 1000" to R744.com. The heat pump features highest performance while saving up to 50% of energy costs. Ammonia in small systems: available components Feb. 25, 2009 - The EU SHERHPA project identified components compatible with small capacity ammonia systems. This second article discusses the availability of heat exchangers, expansion valves and electronic valves, which is to a large extent determined by the absence of copper as a material used in the manufacture of such components. New patents service on R744.com Feb. 13, 2009 - Starting 10 February 2009, an easy to use patents section puts interested customers in contact with inventors and agents licensing their patents for R744 innovations. The world's leading B2B platform for CO2 Technology has hence taken another step to help the industry move forward faster in designing efficient R744 systems. SANYO launches CO2 heat pump installation courses in the UK Feb. 06, 2009 - Following trial results showing that SANYO's new carbon dioxide heat pump for hot water and central heating needs delivers excellent energy performance under normal UK climate conditions, the company is now launching training courses on how to install the product. American NGO awards grant for CO2 heat pump development Feb. 03, 2009 - A Pennsylvania-based NGO has awarded $80,000 to a project that will develop a CO2 based ground-to-air heat pump. The project will be led by industry, with the participation of a University located in the state. First platform for Hydrocarbons goes live! Feb. 02, 2009 - The world's first online source to exclusively focus on natural hydrocarbon refrigerants goes online on 2 February 2009. Offering latest news, products and trends, its goal is to become THE reference source for the hydrocarbons industry. EGEC Research Agenda published Jan. 12, 2009 - The European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) has prepared a list of priorities for Research and Development (R&D) in the geothermal sector. The paper was discussed during the workshop organized by EGEC the 05/09/2008 in Brussels. A list of main priorities has been selected and roposed in a first consultation document issued in October 2008. The conclusions are now presented in the final version of the Research Agenda, integrating the inputs received. Patented Green Collector system Jan. 05, 2009 - The Green Collector system from Pemtec AB is a technology used to make a hydraulic but not thermal seal between a vertical energy probe and the surrounding environment. Especially when using glycol as a freeze protection in energy probes it's important not to contaminate the ground water. It happens that energy probes are leaking, and when they are it's a disaster for the ground water segments due to freeze protection liquid contamination. The solution to eliminate such risk is to lower an energy capsule directly after drilling and to fill it with water. Thereafter the energy probe is lowered inside the capsule. Refrigerant use in 2012 London Olympics Dec. 30, 2008 - Suppliers and licensees to the London 2012 Olympic Games will avoid supplying products with high global warming potential, including common fluorinated refrigerants, according to the first guidelines published by the Organising Committee. Coming soon: thermea. large scale CO2 heat pump Dec. 19, 2008 - Up to 50% of energy costs could be saved, if big facilities, including hospitals, the food processing industry and industrial plants, would switch from conventional boilers to thermea.'s latest product innovation. The high temperature heat pump, soon to be presented on R744.com, features highest heating capacity and maximum energetic efficiency. More value - Heat from renewable energy sources Dec. 17, 2008 - The German energy agency (dena) has initiated a competition for private home owners entitled "More value - Heat from renewable energy sources" (Mehr Wert - Wärme aus Erneuerbaren Energien). The house of the competitor must be heated at least partly by using renewable energy sources. It must have been constructed before the year 1995 and the heating system been installed over the past years. The competition is open to all technologies, including heat pumps. c-dig event discusses CO2 progress Nov. 17, 2008 - The carbon dioxide interest group's (c-dig) meeting on 3-4 November comprised technical tours to French research organisations, as well as numerous presentations about latest developments and future challenges in the field of R744 cooling and heating. Mayekawa displays new water heat source EcoCute Nov. 04, 2008 - With 100 kW, the new water source CO2 heat pump from Mayekawa/MYCOM is the largest in the world, providing both hot and cold water at a combined COP of 8.0. GTZ published report on natural refrigerants Oct. 29, 2008 - In July 2008 GTZ had published the report "Natural Refrigerants - Sustainable Ozone- and Climate-Friendly Alternatives to HCFCs". More than forty international experts contributed with articles and case studies to this publication. Geothermal pilot project inaugurated in Ramallah Sep. 29, 2008 - On 17 August 2008, the first geothermal system in Palestine was presented at a conference in the Ramallah Grand Park Hotel. The conference was well attended by nearly 100 participants from the West Bank and through a life video-conference by about additional 50 participants in the Gaza Strip. California targets high-GWP refrigerants in stationary systems Sep. 22, 2008 - California has proposed an extensive set of leak detection, repair, reporting, and retrofitting rules for large air conditioning and refrigeration systems using high global warming F-gases. Facilities using the natural refrigerant CO2 would not be affected by the regulation presented to the public this week. "Industrial Heat Pump Village" at Chillventa Sep. 19, 2008 - The German heat pump association BWP and Nürnberg Messe have initiated a special exhibition entitled "Industrial Heat Pump Village" to be organised at Chillventa on 15-17 October 2008 in Nürnberg, Germany. Step forward for heat pumps in the EU Sep. 17, 2008 - The European Parliament's Industry Committee backed EU legislation that targets extensive deployment of renewable technologies, including all types of heat pumps. New rules could also promote, or oblige, the use of renewable technologies in new and existing buildings. AHRI commends new ENERGY STAR® water heater program Aug. 12, 2008 - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will launch a new ENERGY STAR® program for residential water heaters, effective Jan. 1, 2009. It covers gas-fired storage, gas-fired tankless, heat pump and solar water heaters. Innovativ solar-assisted GSHP system Jul. 29, 2008 - The German manufacturer Roth Werke GmbH offers a newly developed solar-assisted GSHP system called "Solargeo-Energiesystem". According to Roth this system provides an efficiency increase of up to 25 percent compared to commonly used GSHP installations. New Chair of Canadian GeoExchange Coalition Jul. 16, 2008 - Mr. Stacey Bernier, General Manager with Corix Utilities in Vancouver (BC), was elected Chair of the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition (CGC) last week. The CGC board of directors comprises 15 members with representatives from all regions of Canada and from all classes of stakeholders involved in the geoexchange industry. The board members are elected for a one year mandate. Jul. 15, 2008 - Geothermal systems operate for 1/2 to 1/4 the cost of most other heating and cooling systems! In January 2006 the U.S. Federal government changed the minimum efficiency for air conditioners to 13 SEER from the previous minimum requirement of 10 SEER. Geothermal systems are up to twice the minimum required efficiency! CGC Prizes for Excellence and Leadership 2008 Jul. 11, 2008 - As the national voice of the geoexchange industry, the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition (CGC) recognizes excellence and leadership in the field by awarding the annual Canadian GeoExchange Prizes for Excellence and Leadership. The Prize for National Leadership is awarded to an individual who has demonstrated ongoing leadership in the geoexchange industry; and the Prize for Excellence is awarded to five regional installation projects that showcase both complexity and quality of design. New test laboratory for heat pumps Jul. 07, 2008 - As of February 2008 the test laboratory for heat pumps at ILK Dresden, Germany is accredited according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025. That will help to reduce long waiting periods for heat pump testing as recently complained by heat pump manufacturers. IEA Energy Technology Perspectives 2008 Jul. 04, 2008 - The Agency's leading biennial publication responds to the G8 call on the IEA for guidance on how to achieve a clean, clever and competitive energy future. The book is built around three sets of global energy technology scenarios. These are a Baseline (business-as-usual Scenario), a range of ACT Scenarios showing how CO2 emissions could be brought back to current levels by 2050, and a set of BLUE Scenarios outlining how they could be reduced to 50% below current levels. ETP 2008 also contains global roadmaps showing how each of 17 key advanced energy technologies would need to be developed and deployed to deliver the ACT or the BLUE outcomes. Touring exhibition - Heat from the earth Jul. 01, 2008 - The German state Bavaria takes several measures aimed at reaching the goal to reduce CO2 emissions from recently about 6.8 tons per resident to 5 tons in the year 2020. One of these measures is a comprehensive information campaign about the advantages of using shallow geothermal energy with ground source heat pumps. New Energy Saving Label for heat pumps in Denmark Jun. 25, 2008 - For air-to-air heat pumps installed in second and holiday homes in Denmark (more than 200.000 properties) the Danish Electricity Saving Trust has prepared the introduction of a new Energy Saving Label. Jun. 18, 2008 - The second edition of CREA - the Heating, Conditioning, Energy and Environment International Business Forum Expo, will take place at Veronafiere, Verona, Italy from October 21 to 23, 2008. CREA is not like a traditional trade fair: it is an event with an innovative format that combines the effectiveness and immediacy of an exhibition with the size and breadth of a great international event. Integrated CO2 heat pump systems .... in low energy houses and passive houses May. 29, 2008 - Low-energy and passive houses are superinsulated and air-tight buildings where the space heating demand is considerably lower than that of buildings constructed in accordance with common buildings codes. Due to the low space heating demand, the annual heating demand for domestic hot water (DHW) typically constitutes 50 to 85% of the total annual heating demand in the residence. World's first interactive CO2 course Apr. 21, 2008 - elearning-training.com, part of Star Refrigeration, has developed a two-module elearning course on CO2 Refrigeration. This course is online and has been accredited by CIBSE and Construction CPD. It can be undertaken anytime-anywhere and access is immediate after purchase. This course is already proving successful and is being used by retail operators as their standard requirement for contractor training. Mar. 31, 2008 - On 9 February 2008 Abu Dhabi broke ground on Masdar City, the world's first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city for 50.000 inhabitants. Masdar City shall become the world's hub for future energy. By taking sustainable development and living to a new level, it shall lead the world in understanding how all future cities should be built. Buildings with heat pumps nominated for "worlds most environmentally friendly building" Mar. 10, 2008 - Two out of three nominees for the prestigous mipim awards new green building category are heated by heat pumps. Coming soon: New interactive platform for a growing CO2 Technology Community Mar. 06, 2008 - Facing a rising demand for specific technical information, an interactive knowledge exchange, and for CO2 systems expertise, the Internet platform R744.com will change its looks and navigational features to enhance usability and ease of information gathering. Built on a more dynamic platform, the new version will feature a fresh design and advanced search options. Users of the website will have the possibility to register, taking advantage of an R744.com Personal Profile giving access to a wide range of exclusive services and features. Deepest CO2 borehole heat exchanger in the world under testing Feb. 04, 2008 - On 22 January 2008 the German electric utility EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG started officially operation of a 250 meters deep CO2 borehole heat exchanger in Triberg, Germany. This is the worldwide deepest CO2 borehole heat exchanger of this kind (heat pipe). Heat pumps best option, SHERHPA project finds Dec. 07, 2007 - Heat pumps using natural refrigerants emerge as an optimal solution for heating and cooling in a nearing energy crisis, experts at the SHERHPA workshop have found. Read here about latest progress and remaining challenges CO2 heat pumps face in the EU. Trends in next-generation heat exchangers for heat pump systems Dec. 05, 2007 - Development of air conditioning products to address environmental and air pollution concerns is now an imperative for the industry. Heat exchangers, which are widely used in room air conditioners, packaged air conditioners, heat pump water heaters and other applications, are one of the most important components and affect the performance, reliability (quality) and cost of the product. Dec. 03, 2007 - The overall effi ciency of a heat pump system is highly dependent on the performance of the compressor. Compressors in heat pumps not only encounter a wider range of operating conditions than in traditional air conditioners, but also have two to three times longer run times per year than compressors for air conditioners. Heat pump component development trends Nov. 26, 2007 - The present development of the heat pump market is extremely interesting: in regions such as Japan and the US, where the market is dominated by air-to-air units, ground-coupled systems are obtaining an increasing share, while in regions such as Central and Northern Europe, which are dominated by groundsource systems, air-source systems have an increasing market share. Nov. 26, 2007 - The air conditioning industry faces a constant challenge to provide higher effi ciency levels and greater equipment reliability. This challenge is even more difficult to meet when the goal is simultaneously to maintain equipment size and limit potential cost impact. Development trends for heat pump components Nov. 26, 2007 - Given the critical importance of energy and cost savings, the application of engineering and management principles has the potential to reshape the design of modern heat pump systems. Microchannel heat exchangers, ejectors, and injection-compressors are some of the latest more interesting developments in heat pump components that boost up the energy performance with respect to the basic heat pump cycle. ASHRAE headquarters under renovation Nov. 20, 2007 - The renovation of ASHRAE headquarters is expected to be completed in June 2008 at an estimated cost of $5.4 million. Once completed, the renovated building in Atlanta will feature two separate HVAC systems as part of its role as living lab. Natural Refrigeration Award 2007 Nov. 09, 2007 - The winners of the Natural Refrigeration Award 2007 have been nominated. The award is Eurammon's way (together with KTH Stockholm) of supporting young scientists and motivating them to continue with further research into refrigeration with natural refrigerants. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 15 November 2007 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. 2007 Solar Decathlon winner awarded Oct. 26, 2007 - Technische Universität Darmstadt is the overall winner of the 2007 Solar Decathlon. This competition challenges 20 college teams from around the world in 10 contests to design, build and operate the most livable, energy-efficient, completely solar-powered house. Solar Decathlon houses must power all the home energy needs of a typical household using only the power of the sun. Two previous Solar Decathlons have been held, with the first in 2002 and the most recent in 2005. The University of Colorado was the overall winner of both previous Decathlons. Energy Research in the Netherlands Built Environment Oct. 10, 2007 - Netherlands - Energy Research Subsidy Analysis of heat pump systems using the arsenal research standardised monitoring methodology Sep. 06, 2007 - Austria - The association of Austrian Electricity Companies has funded a project with the aim of developing, testing and evaluating a standardised monitoring methodology for heat pump systems. The results should provide a base for heat pump manufacturers, installers, energy providers, stakeholders and funding agencies. Ten ground source heat pumps tested in Germany Sep. 05, 2007 - Germany The German test institute "Stiftung Warentest" has published test results for ten brine-to-water heat pumps with integrated hot water preparation and storage in its journal, issue 06/2007. Eco-labeling regulation for heat pumps Aug. 08, 2007 - The regulation was approved on 26 April 2007 by the EU Eco-labeling Board. The vote was not unanimous as four countries voted against the regulation and two abstained. Application of ammonia heat pumps in Norway Jul. 03, 2007 - Norway The use of naturally occurring and ecologically safe substances as working fluids in heat pumps represents an environmental friendly and long-term solution to the problems of HFCs. Industrial high-temperature heat pumps for wood drying Jun. 27, 2007 - Canada Canadian sawmills traditionally deliver 72 million m3 of resinous lumber per year. About 2% are dried using low-temperature heat pumps and the rest through other technologies using bark-, natural gas- or oil-fired boilers as primary energy sources. However, such products are well suited to high-temperature drying. Two hybrid (electricity/fossil) industrial-scale high-temperature heat pump prototypes for resinous lumber drying have been developed and investigated in Canada. Thermally powered heat pump/chiller sets new efficiency standard Jun. 27, 2007 - Conventional thermally powered water heaters are 80 to 95% efficient. The new thermally powered heat pump (TPHP) reported herein is over 140% efficient. In addition, the cold end of this TPHP produces usefulchilling. Coabsorbent heat pumps for the future Jun. 27, 2007 - Based on the coabsorbent cycles, recently introduced by the author, a particular new technology can be developed for extremely efficient and feasible heat pumping applications. The paper presents model results of residential and district ammonia/water heating applications for coabsorbent hybrid and absorption heat pumps, supplied by different winter and summer heating and cooling pairs of sources. IPCC report: Eight years to fight climate change May. 16, 2007 - The conclusion from the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report issued on 4 May is that technologies are available at a low cost to significantly reduce greenhouse gases. More specifically, the report, based on a study by more than 2,000 scientists, demands the use of already existing technologies to make cars, buildings and appliances far more efficient. For the building sector, the UN panel explicitly mentions the use of alternative refrigeration fluids as a key policy to reduce GHG emissions. Natural refrigerant heat pump short course in Stockholm Mar. 19, 2007 - Another short course organised within the SHERHPA project will take place on 21-22 May 2007 at the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. This two-day course will cover theory, design and practical aspects of the use of Hydrocarbon, Ammonia and CO2 for heat pump applications. Invited experts from research institutes and industry will contribute as well as Sherhpa partners.
Remarkable success for the 1st klima:aktiv "Heat Pump Day"! Feb. 15, 2007 - More than 200 participants from all over Austria took part in the "Heat Pump Day" in Innsbruck - organised by the programme management of klima:aktiv "wärmepumpe". ASERCOM Energy Efficiency Award 2006 Feb. 14, 2007 - Innovative developments for energy saving in the field of refrigeration, heat pumps and air conditioning, that promise to be successfully marketed, can be proposed for the ASERCOM Award. 100,000 users milestone passed for RETScreen software Feb. 06, 2007 - The RETScreen Clean Energy Project Analysis Software - including geothermal heat pumps - recently passed the 100,000 users milestone. Mr. Dermot Gibbons of the Kinspan Group plc, a building products manufacturer headquartered in Ireland, was officially the 100,000th registered user. Air-to-air heat pumps evaluated for nordic circumstances Feb. 05, 2007 - Twelve variable-speed capacity controlled air-to-air heat pumps have been evaluated by laboratory measurements and the results have been compared to similar investigations made in 2001 (variable-speed capacity control) and 1991 (single-speed compressors). The heat pumps were evaluated in terms of efficiency, performance of defrost system and ability to operate in a cold climate. Heat pumps for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions Jan. 18, 2007 - The Norwegian Commission on Low Emissions points to heat pumps as one of the technologies that could help cut Norwegian greenhouse gas emissions by 50-80 percent by 2050. Energy-Saving-System: Certified heat pump installer - awarded with the Energy Globe Austria Nov. 30, 2006 - Moreover 1.400 participants attended the show for the Austrian Energy Globe at the 24th of November. The Energy Globe is awarded to projects from all over the world which make careful and economical use of resources and employ alternative energy sources. Heat pumps boost energy efficiency Nov. 28, 2006 - Numerous jobs are being created by installing heat pumps in the following Dutch urban areas: Waddinxveen - Centrumplan, Groot Zonnehoeve - Apeldoorn, Mannee - Goes, Westerkwartier - Zuidhorn, Blaricummermeent - Blaricum, Utrecht - Transwijk. Energy advisors of Tyrolean Energy Utilities welcome further education offer of the initative ... Nov. 22, 2006 - Life long learning is not only a general approach, in the Tyrol, it is implemented in a very active way. The energy advisors of the Tyrolean Energy utilities TIWAG, IKB, EW-Reute und Energie West took part in a further education day in the field of heat pump technology, in October 2006. Final report from Annex 28 now available Nov. 20, 2006 - The final report from Annex 28 of the IEA Heat Pump Programme, "Test procedure and seasonal performance calculation for residential heat pumps with combined space and domestic hot water heating', is now available via the web site. GSHP subject of the project iCON-RES Nov. 10, 2006 - The Interreg III project "Information Connection Renewable Energy Sources" (iCON-RES) is a bilateral activity aimed at transfer of know-how and information on renewable energy sources across national boundaries. Contracting body is the city of Vienna, coordinator Arsenal research, Vienna. Review of TRACE symposium Nov. 07, 2006 - A month ago the 1st TRACE symposium (European Training and Certification - Dissemination Workshop for Renewable Energy Systems) took place in Vienna. According to the feedback the event was a success for all.
ENTEX gas heat pump takes important step towards commercialisation Oct. 10, 2006 - MTS Group and ENTEX Company have signed an important agreement for the development of a gas heating appliance using the ENTEX absorption gas heat pump technology. MTS Group is an international leading company operating in the energy and comfort sector, active in Central Europe with the ELCO brand. The Switzerland based ENTEX Company is developer and owner of the core technology and did win the Swiss technology award 2004 because of the attractiveness and importance of the system. Second Workshop on Natural Refrigerant Heat Pump Systems - The Emerging Technology Sep. 12, 2006 - The second workshop will take place on Tuesday, 3 October 2006 in Vienna, Austria. The workshop objective is to present the state of the art as well as the developments made within the SHERHPA project. Heat pumps to be tested in practice Aug. 09, 2006 - Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE (Germany) is going to start a four years field test for heat pumps. ISE is planning to measure 140 heat pumps installed in one-family houses. Climate protection and art - a perfect combination! Jul. 25, 2006 - That climate protection and art complement perfectly - that showed event for klima:aktiv commercial partner. Numerous of them followed the invitation of Austria's federal minister for environment, Mr. Josef Pröll. On the one hand - for the exchange of relevant information - on the other hand for networking activities and the possibility to visit Austria's largest private art collection. From sewage pipe to home heating in Oslo Jul. 21, 2006 - Norway - Thanks to a giant heat pump, the district heating system in Oslo abstracts heat from 2400 m³/hour of sewage to heat one million square metres of the city's homes and buildings. IKK 2006 Nürnberg Forum: Focus on Practical System Solutions Jun. 14, 2006 - The fifth IKK Forum presents selected system solutions for refrigeration and air conditioning at a special show - plus parallel in-depth presentations. The IKK Forum on the basic theme of "Innovative Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Ventilation - Systems, Components and Practical Examples" is intended mainly for planners, architects, investors, facility managers, plant operators and plant assemblers. Official launch of the klima:aktiv programme "wärmepumpe" at Energiesparemesse - Wels May. 19, 2006 - Austria - klima:aktiv is the climate protection initiative of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management. Federal minister - Josef Pröll -describes the vision of klima:aktiv as follows: "Whether it is building, living, reconstruction or driving - our life style has dramatic effects on our climate. To protect it, we must reduce CO2 emissions rapidly. PV powered vapour compression heat pumps May. 18, 2006 - Sweden - One argument commonly raised by heat pump critics is that heat pumps use electricity, and that marginal production of electricity is based on the use of oil or coal. PV powered thermoelectric heat pumps May. 18, 2006 - USA - A research team at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is developing a heating and cooling system called Active Building Envelope (ABE). Annex 30 - Retrofit heat pumps for buildings - Status report 2005 May. 18, 2006 - It is well known, that the market potential for heat pumps for retrofitting existing buildings is much greater than that for the supply of heat pumps for new buildings. However, in the majority of IEA HPP member countries, the heat pump market for existing buildings today is small compared with the market for heat pumps for new buildings. Annex 32 - Economical heating and cooling systems for low energy houses May. 18, 2006 - Heat pumps are the only type of equipment which can produce both heating and cooling energy, even at the same time. Norwegian internet home page for IEA Heat Pump Annex 29 May. 08, 2006 - As a part of the Norwegian work on IEA HP Annex 29, "Ground-Source Heat Pump Systems Overcoming Market and Technical Barriers" (2004-2006), SINTEF Energy Research has developed an Internet web site. International Workshop on Heat Pumps in Practice Mar. 23, 2006 - Within the framework of the International Building Fair in Brno, Czech Republic, an international workshop entitled "Heat Pumps in Practice" will be organised by the Czech Heat Pump Association together with European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) on 27 April 2006. Recently finished: EU Project GEOCOOL Mar. 06, 2006 - Within the 5FP project GEOCOOL (Ground Source Heat Pumps System for Cooling and Heating in the South European Region) a conventional roof-top chiller and a ground coupled reversible heat pump unit to provide cooling and heating to a series of offices had been monitored over a one year period. The heat pump unit is using propane as refrigerant. Investigation of a ground source heat pump system for use in large and dense city areas in Japan Feb. 16, 2006 - Ryozo Oaka, Japan - In Europe and North America, ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems have provided heat mainly for buildings or, in the early stages, for snow melting. This has not occurred in Japan, due to high excavation costs. Workshop on Natural Refrigerant Heat Pump Systems - The Emerging Technology Feb. 13, 2006 - The workshop will take place on Friday 31 March 2006 in Valencia. Results of a two-year field trial in Germany confirm high efficiency of heat pumps Feb. 13, 2006 - Germany - M. Ewert, Germany - The field trial was conducted by E.ON Energie and a number of partner companies during the 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 winter heating seasons and involved 29 heat pumps - mainly of the ground-source type - and one low-temperature gas-fired boiler.
Ground-source heat pump activity and its future Feb. 06, 2006 - Increasing energy costs and the almost one million installed ground source heat pump systems (GSHP) in the US are indications of a strong future for the growth of his highly efficient technology. Very efficient school with ground source heat pump system in a cold climate Feb. 06, 2006 - In 2003, one of the largest School Boards located on the south shore of Montreal, in collaboration with a well known consulting engineering firm and Hydro-Quebec's Energy Utilization Service and LTE Laboratory, constructed a new all-electric school with the intent of becoming a "green" and very energy-efficient building in the context of a cold climate. IEA Heat Pump Programme - Two new annexes start and one is closed Feb. 03, 2006 - Two new annexes were approved at the autumn Executive Committee (ExCo) meeting held in Vienna on November 9-10th. The advance of geothermal heat pumps - world-wide Feb. 03, 2006 - Ladislaus Rybach, Switzerland VAT reduction for heat pumps Jan. 24, 2006 - United Kingdom - A 5 % reduction of VAT is now granted for heat pump installations in the UK. It applies to both groundsource and air-source heat pumps for residential use. It applies only for products with the primary purpose of heating, i.e. it does not apply for cooling-only units. Dehumidification with heat pump water heater Jan. 24, 2006 - USA - Many users of heat pump water heaters (HPWH) recognise their ability also to dehumidify the air. This has been recognised also by the US Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratories, which recently finalised a market study on an integrated water heater and dehumidifier. Second international seminar on natural refrigerants Jan. 24, 2006 - The 2nd International Seminar on Natural Refrigerants will be held in Tokyo on February 10, 2006. The Seminar will be chaired by Prof. Eiji Hihara (Univ. of Tokyo), with English as the official language. IMST-ART has been awarded by AHR Expo Dec. 06, 2005 - Spain - The software IMST-ART for simulation of refrigeration equipment (including heat pumps), which was developed from the university group IMST at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, has been recently selected to receive a 2006 AHR Expo Innovation Honorable Mention. Magnetic heat pump under development Nov. 25, 2005 - Switzerland - The magnetocaloric effect is known for a long time yet, but only today the materials and calculation program needed are available in order to search for application in refrigerators and heat pumps. Training material for ground-source heat pump projects Nov. 23, 2005 - The RETScreen Ground-Source Heat Pump Project Model can be used world-wide to easily evaluate the energy production (or savings), life-cycle costs and greenhouse gas emissions reduction for the heating and/or cooling of residential, commercial, institutional and industrial buildings. The model can be used to evaluate both retrofit and new construction projects using either ground-coupled (horizontal and vertical closed-loop) or groundwater heat pumps. World market for air conditioners, 2004 Nov. 19, 2005 - The market for room air conditioners and packaged air conditioners is estimated at 59 million units in 2004. The majority of them, approximately 20 million units, were sold in China. Other major markets are USA (13 million), Japan (7.7 million), Europe (5.3 million), Asia & Oceania (excluding Japan and China) (7.5 million), Central & South America (2.3 million) and Middle East and Africa (3.2 million). Information update: What's hot, what's new in the Austrian heat pump industry? Nov. 15, 2005 - Austria - This event, hosted by the Austrian Heat Pump Association (LGWA) and held at the end of October attracted many interested participants. The event's aim was, to offer targeted and up to date information on topics which are entirely relevant to the Austrian heat pump industry. Swedish heat pump manufacturer acquired by Danfoss Oct. 30, 2005 - Sweden - Thermia, the third largest heat pump manufacturer in Sweden, has been bought by Danfoss. Thermia will be a self-contained unit within Danfoss' Heating Division. 2005 China-Japan joint meeting/exhibition on the pump and thermal energy storage Oct. 30, 2005 - China - The China-Japan Joint Meeting/Exhibition on Heat Pump and Thermal Energy Storage was held on August 3 and 4, 2005, in Beijing, at Beijing International Convention Center, and attended by over 200 delegates from China and nearly 80 from Japan. Session 1 - Heat pumps - status and trends Oct. 30, 2005 - Regional reports for North America, Europe and Asia/Oceania, summarizing market and technology status and trends for heat pumps, have been a traditional feature of the triennial IEA Heat Pump Conferences. Ground source heat pumps - Overcoming market and technical barriers Oct. 26, 2005 - Hermann Halozan, Austria Annex 28 - Comprehensive and uniform testing and calculation for heat pump systems Oct. 26, 2005 - Carsten Wemhoener, Thomas Afjei, Switzerland An overview of the 8th IEA Heat Pump Conference Oct. 26, 2005 - Fredrik Karlsson, Caroline Haglund Stognor, Heat Pump Centre; Moonis Ally, USA IKK Forum 2005: Heat pumps / energy saving Sep. 22, 2005 - The 4th IKK Forum 2005 (November 2-4) presents the latest system solutions in heat pump technology and energy saving under the basic theme of "Innovative Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Ventilation - Systems, Components and Practical Examples". Presentations supplement and expand on the system solutions exhibited at the special show. Improving Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings Conference Sep. 15, 2005 - The deadline for submission of abstracts for the International Conference on Improving Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings (IEECB'06) taking place in Frankfurt, Germany, 26 - 27 April 2006, is on Friday September 30th. First winners of the International Heat Pump Award Sep. 10, 2005 - The first five winners of the Peter Ritter von Rittinger International Heat Pump Medal have been announced by the organizing committee for the 8th International Energy Agency Heat Pump Conference, held in Las Vegas May 31 to June 2, 2005. 8th IEA Heat Pump Conference 2005 Sep. 05, 2005 - Proceedings of the 8th IEA Heat Pump Conference 2005 now available. Designing a heat pump for minimum refrigerant charge Jul. 27, 2005 - Björn Palm, K. Andersson, P. Lundqvist, O. Samoteeva, Sweden The annual report is now available Jul. 15, 2005 - The annual report is now availableThe promotional Annual Report of the Heat Pump Programme, describing the activities of the programme in 2004, is now available and can be downloaded or ordered from the web site, www.heatpumpcentre.org. China to phase out CFCs by 2010 Jul. 12, 2005 - China - The State Environmental Protection Administration of China has announced that China will totally phase out CFC production by 2010. China has cut down production of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) by 90 000 tonnes/year. A national plan for ODS curtailment has been worked out together with the Montreal Protocol Multilateral Fund. The fund has recently donated USD 25.41 million to China for producing 10 000 tonnes of CFC alternatives per year. C-dig meeting in Finland Jul. 10, 2005 - Finland - The carbon dioxide interest group (c-dig) held a seminar in Uusikaupunki in Finland on 14-15th April. The event was hosted by the Finnish plate-and-shell heat exchanger manufacturer Vahterus. The seminar was attended by approximately 60 persons, mainly from Europe and from the industrial and supermarket refrigeration sector. During the two days, eight presentations were held, together with three plant visits. CO2 heat pump for hydronic heating systems Jul. 10, 2005 - Sweden - The first CO2 heat pump for the Swedish market has now been released by the Swedish company Ahlsell. It is an air source heat pump for hydronic heating systems, developed by Sanyo, and which provides both space heating and domestic hot water (DHW) heating. The outdoor unit is connected to a specially designed storage tank, where the DHW is circulated in two coils placed inside the storage tank. The heat pump, which is capacity-controlled by a variable-speed control (inverter), is claimed to deliver 4.5 kW heat power down to an outdoor air temperature of -15 °C and to be able to heat the water up to +70 °C. Recovering sewage water heat Jun. 20, 2005 - Germany - Using the waste heat in a sewer system as a sustainable heat source has not been seriously considered up to now, although it makes a lot of sense from an ecological point of view. Fossil fuels are becoming increasingly expensive, which makes renewable energy technologies more competitive. The recovery of waste heat from sewer systems represents a new alternative heat source. Japan has been the first to exploit it, followed by Switzerland and Germany. Jun. 17, 2005 - Switzerland - A web site providing potential customers with information on energy use and other information on products has been set up in Switzerland. New subsidies for heat pumps in France Jun. 15, 2005 - From January 2005 until December 2009 for all private households in France the purchase of ground-source and air-to-water heat pumps is granted tax concessions (Crédit d'impôt of 40%). A COP not less than 3,0 is required. For those heat pumps to be installed in buildings older than two years in addition the installation cost are granted reduced VAT. Air-to-air systems are not included. SANYO Expands Its 'Energy & Ecology' Business in Europe Jun. 09, 2005 - During a visite in Munich, Hiromoto Sekino, International Chief Operating Officer, Sanyo Electric Company, announced the establishment of a factory in Hungary (Dorog) for the production of CO2 compressors for heat pumps as well as air-conditioners, heat pumps, and refrigerators (investment cost 18,5 Mio €). Potential for lower refrigerant charge in conventional and advanced heat pump systems Jun. 07, 2005 - Lower charge heat pump systems can reduce the direct contribution to global warming as measured by the Total Equivalent Warming Impact (TEWI) as well as to mitigate fl ammability risks associated with hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerants. The DOE/ORNL Heat Pump Model was used to optimize a residential heat pump with several working fl uids (replacements to HCFC-22) and conventional fintube heat exchangers . The study found that the required refrigerant charge for optimal heat pump designs with HCFC-22 replacements can be somewhat lower than for the baseline heat pump system. Microchannel heat exchangers have the potential for even more significant reductions that can significantly reduce the TEWI of HFCs and possibly make flammable refrigerants more acceptable in residential equipment. EHPA presentation at Carbon Expo May. 28, 2005 - On 13 May 2005 Mr. Karl Ochsner, chairman of EHPA Strategy Committee, gave the following presentation at the Carbon Expo in Cologne: Environmental Energy with Heat Pumps - Possible Contribution to CO2 Reduction and Meeting Kyoto Goals with Green Heat RETScreen International - Ground-Source Heat Pump project model update May. 20, 2005 - The recently released Version 3 of the Ground-Source Heat Pump Project Model includes updated product data and a new Sensitivity & Risk Analysis worksheet. Even more use of geothermal heat May. 14, 2005 - Junkers geothermal pumps now achieve a standard flow temperature of 65 °C (149 °F) thanks to new compressor technology. The frost-less heat pump: new method of controlling the wintertime performance of air-to-air heat pu Apr. 30, 2005 - A new frost-less heat pump technology has been developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. If a moderate amount of heat is added to the refrigerant stream in the accumulator, the suction pressure and temperature can be raised. As a result, frost accumulation on the outdoor coil is retarded. New natural refrigerant blend Apr. 22, 2005 - R723 is a new natural refrigerant, and is a blend of 60 % ammonia and 40 % dimethyl ether. It is a B2 refrigerant. It has a high specific evaporation heat and insignificant GWP (global warming potential), just as ammonia. Further benefits are that it can be used in copper systems and offers full mineral oil solubility. It is also reported to have a slightly higher volumetric cooling performance than ammonia. Algebraic spiral scroll compressor Apr. 13, 2005 - Japan - Hitachi H&L has developed a new series of scroll compressors for refrigeration and freezing applications. The company has changed the shape of the spiral wall in the compressor from the conventional round involute curve to an algebraic spiral curve. This new shape is claimed to improve the compressor effi ciency at low suction pressures and to reduce internal leakage. The efficiency is improved by 15-25 % compared to the previous compressors used for refrigerating and freezing applications. Ground-source pilot plant in Korea Apr. 12, 2005 - South Korea - Starting from a co-operation in the International Energy Agency's energy storage program, a fruitful partnership has been established between German and South Korean companies working in the ground-source heat pumps sector. A pilot plant with borehole heat exchangers (BHE) at the premises of KEPRI (Korean Electric Power Research Institute) in Daejon was completed in 2003. Heat pump for new luxury hotel Apr. 10, 2005 - Germany - With over 3.6 million visitors "Europapark", nearby Freiburg (Germany), is the biggest seasonal theme park worldwide. Advanced heat pump at ISH Frankfurt Apr. 10, 2005 - A new generation of air-to-water heat pumps has been presented at Energiesparmesse Wels and will also be shown on ISH Frankfurt:The AIR-STATION from Ochsner has as special features high COP (up to 3,6 at A2/W35) and low noise level. This is achieved by employing large size evaporators and low speed fans and a special defrosting technique. AIR-STATION is available from 6,4 to 14,3 kW for inside or outside installation and for heating and cooling mode. Earthly Comforts - Tobacco Row Lofts To Have Geothermal Heating, Cooling Apr. 10, 2005 - USA - In July 2005, two historic tobacco warehouses in Madison will take on a new life as Tobacco Row, 61 loft apartments separated by a courtyard. But the lovely cream-brick and limestone buildings will have an ultra-modern distinction: They will be heated and cooled by a system that uses the Earth to regulate the water temperature. The project manager said a closed-loop, geothermal system with individually controlled heat pumps in the apartments seemed ideal for the historic structures. European Seminar "Carbon Dioxide as a Refrigerant" Jan. 30, 2005 - On November 27, 2004 in Milano, a European seminar on CO2 as refrigerant has been organised by the Galileo centre in collaboration with the university of Milano and the Italian Association of Refrigeration Technology. This seminar was a success with more than 160 participants from the refrigeration and air-conditioning industries. The presentations covered theoretical and practical aspects as well as industrial applications of CO2 as refrigerant. The EU F-gas regulation Jan. 20, 2005 - EU - The planned EU regulation on fl uorinated gases (F-gases) will provide a common basis for the whole union. The current situation in the member states is that the regulations are far from uniform. If the EU member states reach an agreement at the second reading in 2005, the F-gas Regulation will come into force in 2007. The 2004 ASERCOM Symposium Jan. 17, 2005 - Germany - "Our future in Europe: climate change - environment protection" was the subject of the ASERCOM Symposium held the day before the opening of the IKK Trade Fair in Nürnberg, Germany. The focus of this event was the F-gas legislation proposed by the European Commission. Agreement on standard for commercial air conditioners Jan. 05, 2005 - USA - Air conditioner manufacturers and energy efficiency advocates have come to an agreement regarding the Federal energy efficiency standards for air conditioners and heat pumps used in commercial buildings. | |
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