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Heating manufacturer NIBE Energy Systems has launched a photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) add-on to its ground-source heat pump that transforms it into a silent ‘multi-source’ heat pump.

Its PV-T collector removes the need for a ground or bore hole collector array and produces both thermal energy and electricity that can be used to operate a ground source heat pump. This kind of disruption means several experts have said ground source heat pumps are ‘unrealistic’ for many rented properties.

NIBE’s PV-T panels have PV cells at the front to convert sunlight into electricity, while a thermal heat exchanger at the rear extracts aerothermal energy from the ambient air, product manager Jonny Hancock explains.

His firm’s system is the first in the UK to combine solar and ground source heat pump technology.

He adds: “The operation of the heat exchanger is therefore comparable to that of an air/water heat pump, without the requirement of a mechanical fan. A PV-T system therefore works 100% silently.

“Depending on the heating requirements, they can replace traditional boreholes or ground arrays, minimising disruption and removing the need for extensive groundworks which can be impractical on some sites.”

The PV-T collector (pictured) is designed so that even on cloudy days and at night, the heat exchanger provides enough energy for the heat pump. In warmer months, the heat extracted by the collector helps cool the PV aperture surface, improving generation efficiency and also providing passive cooling in summer.

The government aims to install 600,000 heat pumps annually by 2028 and to phase out new fossil fuel boilers by the mid 2030s. Landlords soon face making decisions about whether to fork out for these pumps if government proposals that new tenancies will have to reach an EPC band C by 2025 get the go-ahead.

However, one recent report claimed that ground source heat pump installation costs can add up to an eyewatering £35,000, and are incompatible with most homes.

Visit the NIBE website for more information.

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All my rentals look just like the house in the picture so I will be installing this asap!

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