In the present day, so many home and property owners are keen to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, and are looking at innovative and sustainable ways to increase their grid independence.
It’s for this main reason that heat pumps have become a lot more popular in recent times. And the fact that the government announced that gas boilers will be banned in new builds from 2025, even more people are likely to switch to heat pumps in the coming years.
At AceOn, our collaborations with homebuilders throughout the UK has piqued our interest in heat pumps, and we’d like to share with you our thoughts on how they can work alongside solar panels.
What Exactly is a Heat Pump?
Heat pumps come in one of two forms:
- Air source
- Ground source
The main difference between the two is the source from where they extract heat (either the air or the ground, as the names suggest). Air source heat pumps tend to be less expensive than ground pumps, as they’re cheaper to install. But they’re also less efficient than ground pumps, which leads to less long term savings.
How Does a Heat Pump Work?
The purpose of a heat pump is to transfer heat from one location to another. For instance, ground pumps might work by transferring the heat from your soil to your kitchen or living room. Heat pumps are known to achieve efficiency rates of between 200-600%.
Heat pumps rely on electricity to function, which substantially increases to your household bills. That is, unless you consider pairing them with solar panels.
Can Heat Pumps Be Paired with Solar Panels?
The short answer to this question is yes, absolutely! But homeowners are often hesitant to invest in solar panels because of the seasonality of their performance. It’s little surprise that solar panels in the UK generate most energy in the summer months, which makes it a less attractive proposition when a heat pump is most needed in the winter.
But there’s a good solution to this issue, as many homeowners are finding to their advantage: battery energy storage.
Homeowners who add battery energy storage to their home solar systems, will be able to retain the surplus energy that has been generated during the day, and then use it when the system needs it. Naturally, home battery energy storage increases your grid independence even further.
Battery Energy Storage has a Key Role to Play.
Savvy homeowners are already recognising the vital role that battery energy storage can play at their properties. By storing the power generated by a solar system in designated batteries, your heat pumps can still operate even when the sun isn’t shining.
Given the government announcement that gas boilers are to be phased out in the coming years, new homes will almost certainly be built with air or ground source heat pumps instead.
At AceOn, we’re already working with property developers to reduce the reliance of new homes on the grid, and are delighted to be installing solar panels and battery energy storage systems at properties throughout the UK.
Click here to find out more information about AceOn’s battery energy storage projects.
