European environment organisation calls for air, water and ground sources to be recognised as renewable energy

12 May, 2008

A call for ambient-air, water and ground sources to be included in the definition of renewable energy sources in the draft EU law on the promotion of renewable energy sources has been made by the European Partnership for Energy & the Environment. The primary technology to use these energy sources is heat pumps, and their use will strongly benefit from such an expanded definition of energy sources, combined with the inclusion of heat pumps in the EU Directive. Fans Hoorelbeke, chairman of EPEE comments, ‘Heat pumps, as a renewable-energy technology with efficiency levels of 300% and more, offer an optimal choice for heating — in terms of reduced carbon emissions, use of primary energy or lower operating costs for the consumer. Heat pumps have the ability to offer space heating and domestic hot water reliably during the whole year — and even function when outdoor conditions are far below 0°C.’ Although the renewable energy sources used by heat pumps are not yet recognised as such under the current proposal, EPEE is pleased to see that the technology of heat pumps has been included in the draft text. Nonetheless, EPEE notes the unfair treatment of ambient-air heat pumps, which have to compete with the EU eco-labelling standards, whereas other kinds of heat pumps, such as ground source, do not have to meet these requirements.

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