The Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP) has launched an online estimation tool that would help businesses in sizing heat pumps to replace gas boilers.
The online heat pump estimator is intended to help businesses save amid skyrocketing energy costs and decarbonise operations to meet net-zero targets.
The use of industrial heat pumps has grown rapidly across Europe and other areas, but Australia has been slower to take up the technology, according to A2EP.
“A lot of manufacturing and operations managers think heat pumps don’t compete on cost, but that’s based on the incorrect assumption that you need to replace a boiler with a heat pump of the same capacity, which is not the case,” said Jarrod Leak, CEO of A2EP.
The online tool will provide business leaders with the basic information they need to understand if a heat pump system is technically and economically viable for their business.
“So many Australian businesses are under extreme pressure from the rapid rise of energy prices, particularly gas prices,” Leak said. “They need to understand there are alternative technologies available right now which can reduce their energy costs, decarbonise and improve their self-sufficiency, and now is the time to get started.”
A2EP said electrical heat pumps are highly efficient for providing heating and cooling in industrial, commercial, and residential applications. These pumps are designed to use waste heat from other processes and can operate on locally generated renewable electricity, such as from on-site solar photovoltaic systems.
“The potential for decarbonising process heat in Australian industry is huge,” Leak said.
“Around 52% of Australian industrial energy end-use is from the generation of heat for processes. A good proportion of that can be supplied with existing, commercial heat pump technologies to deliver cost and emission savings.”
Developed by A2EP, pitt&sherry and SmartConsult, with support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the Australian Meat Processor Corporation and Mayekawa Australia, the online heat pump estimator tool can be accessed at heatpumpestimator.com.
