Extreme Weather Poses a Challenge for Heat Pumps

The world is already getting windier, says Heliotherm CEO Andreas Bangheri .

Strong winds, unexpectedly low temperatures, and high humidity can all affect heat pump performance.

There are more than 65,000 heat pumps, of various kinds, installed around Europe .

A new air source heat pump that will be more resilient to blustery weather will be launched next year .

Researchers are beginning to investigate how heat pumps will cope with a radically changed climate.

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is a system of ocean currents that helps to distribute warm water from Earth ’s southern reaches farther north.

In such a scenario, the average temperature across Europe could fall by up to 8 degrees Celsius and, in North America , by 3 degrees Celsius .

Despite the impact that harsh winds or extreme temperatures can have, climate change probably won’t stop heat pumps working, insists Callaway —it’s more a question of system design and the eventualities one plans for. But it’s worth thinking about climate change scenarios now, stresses Bangheri . Having some extra capacity, or backup technologies, in place could mean a decarbonized heating system won’t become a vulnerable one..