Home heat pumps can turn into compact energy storage units through a new system developed by Norwegian and Swiss researchers.
Researchers at Norwegian research organisation SINTEF and Swiss company COWA Thermal Solutions have developed a compact thermal battery that allows home heat pumps to store excess heat and release it when needed.
Galina Simonsen, a senior research scientist at SINTEF, said: “A heat pump that runs constantly is expensive, energy-consuming and can lead to overloading the power grid. With the new batteries, heat pumps combine storage and smart distribution of heat.”
Heat pumps extract energy from the environment – air, soil or water – and transport the heat into the home. However, heat demand in households vary depending on usage patterns, time of day, outdoor temperature and weather conditions.
To meet these fluctuations, the researchers developed a thermal energy storage solution that features salt hydrates. These materials lock water into their structure and can...