Renewable Energy-Heat Pumps

Low temperature heat is available everywhere around us, in very large quantities. There is normally heat in the outdoor air, in surface water (e.g. rivers, streams and ponds) and in the ground.

What is a heat pump?

A heat pump is a machine / system which can extract heat from low temperature sources (air, water, ground) and then boost this 'captured' heat to a higher temperature, which can be used for heating our buildings and water.

If the heat pump is operated in a reverse mode, it will provide cooling. This is how a domestic fridge works. The fridge takes heat from the space and objects inside the fridge and 'releases' this heat to the outside, using the coil situated at the back.

Now think about the fridge in 'reverse mode'. If you look at an example of a horizontal ground-based heat pump, you will see that the 'coil' is laid out in the ground. The liquid pumped through this coil takes the heat from the soil and then releases this heat to the inside of the building.

Benefits of using heat pumps

• Reduced energy costs
• Reduced emissions of greenhouses gases and other pollutants
• Quiet operation
• Low maintenance cost
• Suitable for warm or cold climates
• Easy to install

Examples of heat pumps in use in Cork City include: The New City Hall extension, The Glucksman Gallery, The Kinsale Road Landfill Site, The Tory Top Library Refurbishment and the Churchfield Sports Pavilion.