Ground Pumps Could Help UK Renewable Energy Goal

According to the Environment Agency, GSHP (Ground Source Heat Pump) technologies offer the potential to contribute over 30 per cent towards Britain’s 2020 renewable energy goal. 

Ground source heat pumps draw on the principle of it being warmer underground than above the surface.  They work by driving liquid though coils located at subterranean level, in order to heat the liquid up before supplying it to locations such as homes and offices.  GSHPs not only provide heat – during the warmer months they can effectively be turned into air conditioning units too, since underground temperatures become lower at this time of year. 

GSHP: Ground Source Heat Pumps

As of 2009, there are approximately 8,000 ground source heat pumps in operation in the UK – a 4,000-strong increase over 2008.  312,000 more could be put in place over the coming decade, according to the EA, and this would mean that they form a part of 11 per cent of British office buildings, and one per cent of domestic residences.  And this growth explosion, the agency said, “would generate 30 per cent of the amount of renewable heat that government has said will be required to meet the UK's 2020 renewable energy target.”

Ground Source Heating

A more expansive forecast sees as many as 1.2 million units being installed.  On this basis, 40 per cent of offices would draw on ground source heating, along with 11 per cent of domestic residences.  This, however, would come at cost.

“Ground source heating is a rapidly growing technology... but it needs financial support in order to grow”, the EA’s Head of Climate Change and Sustainable Communities, Tony Grayling, explained. 

The cost would especially be true of GSHP retrofits, but – said another EA representative – associated running costs would offset this to some extent.  “The initial capital costs are more than for a normal boiler, but the GSHP would be cheaper to run”, she stated.

Renewable Heat

In three years time, the British government will introduce its Renewable Heat Incentive.  Once this is up and running, offices and homes which generate excess renewable heat will be rewarded for their efforts, and this is something that could encourage the widespread adoption of ground source heat pump technologies.