A wide-spread use of heat pumps could slash 10% of Japan's total CO2 emissions, according to Japanese experts. Focusing on technical developments and applications of heat pumps, they urge suppliers and consumers worldwide to switch to the energy saving technology.
A wider spread of heat pump technology would result in CO2 emissions reductions of 130 million tons per year, or 10% of Japan's current total emissions, a new study has found. It is in line with IEA (International Energy Agency) projections that 1.2 billion tons or 6% of the world's CO2 emissions could be removed if the ownership rate of heat pumps reached 30% worldwide.
The study "Heat Pumps Long-Awaited Way out of Global Warming", released by the Heat Pump & Thermal Storage Technology Center of Japan (HPTCJ) in October, explains in detail the current technical conditions of heat pump technology, its application fields, and energy savings. Based on latest market studies and performance data, the document urges business, policy makers and end-users to adopt heat pumps as a global solution.
Drawing attention to technical and policy developments regarding heat pumps in Japan, the study focuses more specifically on "Eco Cute" hot water heaters using the natural refrigerant CO2 (R744). The "epoch-making product" is currently a key pillar of industry and government efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Kyoto Protocol Target Achievement Plan and the New National Energy Strategy.
Global switch to heat pump technology required
The study admits that the successful development of different heat pump types (for e.g. air-conditioners, water heaters, clothes drying, or space heating) in Japan may be attributed to its favourable climatic conditions with mild temperatures and high humidity. It draws, however special attention to ongoing efforts in the US and Europe to replace combustion-based heating with electric powered heat pump technology, and elaborates on the rising use of ground source heat pumps in both world regions. In the EU, where heat pumps are classified as renewable energy, their use has been especially promoted in Sweden, Germany and Switzerland, to reach a total number of one million across the continent.
--image1--The HPTCJ insists that investments in currently unknown heating technologies could pose risks regarding efficiency, costs, and environmental benefits. Heat pump technology, on the contrary, has been proven to operate reliably in a wide range of applications for many years. Its use and refinement makes an immediate yield of CO2 reduction benefits possible.
Other study results
In detail, the HPTCJ study presents the following regarding the Japanese market:
The study "Heat Pumps Long-Awaited Way out of Global Warming", released by the Heat Pump & Thermal Storage Technology Center of Japan (HPTCJ) in October, explains in detail the current technical conditions of heat pump technology, its application fields, and energy savings. Based on latest market studies and performance data, the document urges business, policy makers and end-users to adopt heat pumps as a global solution.
Drawing attention to technical and policy developments regarding heat pumps in Japan, the study focuses more specifically on "Eco Cute" hot water heaters using the natural refrigerant CO2 (R744). The "epoch-making product" is currently a key pillar of industry and government efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Kyoto Protocol Target Achievement Plan and the New National Energy Strategy.
Global switch to heat pump technology required
The study admits that the successful development of different heat pump types (for e.g. air-conditioners, water heaters, clothes drying, or space heating) in Japan may be attributed to its favourable climatic conditions with mild temperatures and high humidity. It draws, however special attention to ongoing efforts in the US and Europe to replace combustion-based heating with electric powered heat pump technology, and elaborates on the rising use of ground source heat pumps in both world regions. In the EU, where heat pumps are classified as renewable energy, their use has been especially promoted in Sweden, Germany and Switzerland, to reach a total number of one million across the continent.
--image1--The HPTCJ insists that investments in currently unknown heating technologies could pose risks regarding efficiency, costs, and environmental benefits. Heat pump technology, on the contrary, has been proven to operate reliably in a wide range of applications for many years. Its use and refinement makes an immediate yield of CO2 reduction benefits possible.
Other study results
In detail, the HPTCJ study presents the following regarding the Japanese market:
- Emission reductions: Heat pump technology for hot water heating, air conditioners and space heating could remove 100 million tons of CO2 per year from the Japanese residential and business sector - 1.5 times as much as the target set under the Kyoto Protocol Target Achievement Plan. Another 30 million tons would be added from industrial boilers. No other single technology can make such a large-scale contribution to GHG reductions.
- Commercial sector: Switching from direct combustion of fossil fuels to electric power used by heat pumps in Japan's commercial sector alone, will result in a 40% total energy savings. In addition, the running costs of heat pump-based air conditioners are only up to one third that of combustion-based equipment.
- Eco-Cute: Using a R744-based water heater at home (COP=4) will reduce emissions by 65%, or 0.8 tons per year, compared with conventional heaters. Currently about 1/3 of energy used in a Japanese household is attributed to hot water supply. If all home water heaters are replaced by Eco Cute, 2% of Japan's total CO2 emission could be reduced. As of 2006, the most efficient Eco Cute models achieved a COP of 4.9.
MORE INFORMATION
By R744.com team (@r744)
Nov 28, 2007, 00:00
Related stories
