Buying a heat pump means more efficiency and lower costs.

Air source heat pumps are among the most widely installed heat pumps in Germany. This is due to both their simple and quick installation and relatively low investment costs. A standard air source heat pump extracts heat from the outside air and raises it to the required temperature through refrigerant circulation. Depending on the model, units can be installed either outdoors or indoors. In monoblock units installed outdoors, the refrigerant circuit is completely integrated into the heat pump. The generated thermal energy is transported into the building along with the heating water. In split heat pumps, the refrigerant circuit is separate. Heat is transported through the refrigerant line into the building, where the evaporator heat exchanger is located. This ensures that the outdoor unit does not freeze even in the event of a power outage.

A special type of air-source heat pump is known as an exhaust air heat pump. Instead of using outside air, this heat pump uses exhaust air from rooms, which is typically much warmer. This means the compressor requires less work to achieve the desired temperature. However, the air volume is usually limited, making it impossible to operate in single-supply mode. These types of heat pumps are typically used for very small heating loads.

Compared to outside air, geothermal heat has a relatively high temperature below a certain depth. Furthermore, it remains constant in winter, even when the topsoil has frozen. Brine-water heat pumps are very efficient, achieving COPs of up to 5.0. There are two main methods to choose from when it comes to extracting geothermal heat. If space is limited, the best option is to use geothermal probes. These are inserted vertically or at an angle through boreholes and extract heat from the ground at depths of 40 to 100 meters.

As an alternative to geothermal probes, geothermal collectors require shallow installation depths of one to two meters, i.e., below the frost line. However, they require significantly more space due to their horizontal installation and large surface area. For more information on how heat recovery works, see the section ” Operating Principle of a Brine-Water Heat Pump .”

Just a few years ago, electric heating was considered uneconomical and unecological, as efficiency losses were very high and electricity was primarily generated from coal. However, since then, most heat pumps have become highly efficient, keeping heating costs consistently low. One of the main reasons for this is the use of green energy as a heat source. Unlike natural gas and oil, green energy is not subject to economic or political fluctuations. Most importantly, it is always available and free.

Additional economic advantages of heat pumps include their low operating costs and attractive government subsidies. The section on heat pump subsidies explains how to apply.

Another argument in favor of purchasing a heat pump is its high level of operational reliability and the ability to generate inexpensive electricity for the heat pump. Moreover, most Viessmann heat pumps are capable of lowering temperatures during warmer months using active and passive cooling. Other economic advantages of a heat pump include:

• No chimney and flue gas inspection costs
• Increase in property value upon sale
• Meets all EnEV requirements for new and renovated old buildings

Efficiency plays a crucial role when purchasing a heating system. However, with growing environmental awareness, climate protection is increasingly becoming a priority. By investing in a heat pump today, you are also making a significant contribution to reducing harmful CO₂ greenhouse gases.

Heat pumps use renewable energy for heating and require only a small amount of electricity, meaning less need to extract and burn fossil fuels. The CO₂ balance of electricity used for heating is significantly lower than that of other fossil-fuel heating systems. Combined with energy from a “green” drive, a heat pump can operate completely carbon-neutral.

Statistics also illustrate the environmental benefits of heat pumps in practice: according to the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the use of renewable energy sources in the heating market alone prevented approximately 37 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions in Germany in 2016. By comparison, energy-related emissions in the transport sector in the same year amounted to 166.2 million tonnes.

In addition to lower investment costs compared to other heat pumps, air-source heat pumps offer other advantages. Upgrades are possible at any time, without the need for official permits. Furthermore, air-source heat pumps require a very small footprint, making them suitable for both new construction and retrofit projects.

If a brine/water heat pump is available, homeowners should seriously consider purchasing one. Due to their consistently high outlet temperatures year-round, these heat pumps operate very efficiently.

Essentially, heat can be extracted from the ground in two ways: if space is limited, geothermal probes, which are buried deep in the ground, are suitable. On the other hand, if the house to be heated has a large, undeveloped garden, geothermal collectors are a reasonable alternative. Similar to underfloor heating, they are installed beneath the topsoil. From there, they extract heat from the ground layer and transfer it to the evaporator. In addition to surface collectors, trench collectors can also be used, as they require significantly less space.

The Energy Transition is a project launched by the German government with the goal of meeting the country’s energy needs almost exclusively from renewable energy sources by 2050. Many experts believe that one strategy for achieving this goal is the integration of electricity and heat markets, as well as transport, also known as sector coupling. In the electricity and heating markets, in particular, heat pumps are an important tool because:

• Electricity is getting cleaner thanks to the expansion of green power plants
• Excess energy from wind turbines and photovoltaic systems should be used wisely (energy into heat).
• Existing heat pumps are very efficient and can help relieve pressure on public networks.

Thanks to the growing share of “green” electricity in the energy mix, as well as their high efficiency, heat pumps operate in more climate-friendly conditions than heating technologies based on fuel combustion. They also provide a sustainable, renewable heat supply year-round – and in large quantities. Theoretically, they can help utilize excess energy from wind turbines and photovoltaic systems, thereby ensuring grid stability. According to many experts, all this makes heat pumps an ideal technology for integrating sectors.