IENE Workshop: Heat Pumps and Energy Transition

Announcement

The Key Role of Heat Pumps in Energy Transition

The Institute of Energy for South East Europe (ΙΕΝΕ) is organizing a special Workshop on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at the auditorium of the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE), located at Nikis 4, Athens. The aim of the workshop is to explore the role of Heat Pumps in the Energy Transition.

The event speakers will include senior officers from international organizations, academics, researchers, consultants, and company representatives, who will discuss all aspects of heat pump applications in buildings, at a time where efforts are intensifying to improve energy efficiency and electrify buildings, with heat pumps playing an essential role.

In addition to reviewing various applications in buildings, the workshop will highlight the technologies available and the possibilities for their improvement. It will also address the barriers and challenges to further penetration of heat pumps in buildings.

Modern heat pumps are a significant achievement in the field of energy conservation. A heat pump is a device that transfers heat from a low-temperature area to a higher-temperature one using mainly electrical energy. It is a technology that can be used for both heating and cooling.

A heat pump operates in the same way as refrigeration equipment, relying on the same principles of the refrigeration cycle, which is a continuous cycle of expansion and compression of a refrigerant fluid.

Heat pumps are considered more efficient and environmentally friendly because they transfer heat rather than generating it through the combustion of oil or natural gas, making them an energy-efficient alternative to traditional heating and cooling systems.

Today, various types of heat pumps have been developed and are commercially available, including:

(a) Air-to-Air heat pumps
(b) Air-to-Water heat pumps
(c) Water-to-Water heat pumps
(d) Geothermal heat pumps (Earth to Air or Earth to Water)

A key advantage of the heat pump is its high efficiency, as it can provide more heat or cooling compared to the electrical energy it consumes. Additionally, it is environmentally friendly, as it reduces carbon dioxide emissions compared to traditional central heating and cooling methods. It is also flexible, as it can be used for both heating and cooling, making it "multi-functional."

A disadvantage of heat pumps is the relatively high initial installation cost compared to similar oil and/or natural gas systems, which can be offset over time due to the pump's high efficiency. Furthermore, the performance of a heat pump in extreme temperatures may decrease at very low or very high environmental temperatures. However, technology has progressed, and modern heat pumps are now capable of functioning under extreme conditions.

All these topics will be discussed and analyzed during the Workshop, highlighting the reasons why heat pumps are a reliable and efficient solution for meeting heating and cooling needs of buildings, contributing to the reduction of energy consumption and environmental impacts.