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Ground Source Heat Pumps
What are ground source heat pumps?
These systems use a loop of pipe filled with water and antifreeze, which is buried in the ground in a trench, absorbing heat from the surrounding earth and transferring it to a building to provide central heating and/or hot water.
What are the benefits?
Ground source heat pump systems can heat a whole building without any external fuel source and can produce more electricity than the pump uses to extract the heat from the ground. The system is clean and efficient.
How does it work?
The system uses a ground loop to extract heat from the earth and this can be vertical for use in boreholes or horizontal/spiral for use in trenches. A pump is used to distribute heat to a property by using an evaporator, compressor and condenser. Heat is then distributed using underfloor heating, radiators and/or hot water storage systems.
Funding and grants
As part of the Low Carbon Building Programme (LCBP), the Department for Business Enterprise and Energy Reform (BERR) are making grants available only to those who use a certified installer and products. Grants are available for private householders, community organisations, public, private and non-profit sectors. For more information about LCBP, visit the BERR website at www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk
Certifcation for products and installers within LCBP is now provided through the Microgeneration Certification Scheme managed by BRE Certification. For further information please visit the Microgeneration website.
More information - Ground Source Heat Pump Association: www.nef.org.uk