The effects of weather conditions on domestic ground-source heat pump performance in the UK

Abstract

Unpredictable and variable weather is often cited as one of the factors which may contribute to the underperformance of heat pumps in the UK, compared with other European countries. In this study, 10 similar ground-source heat pump systems, installed in existing social housing in North Yorkshire, were monitored intensively over a period of almost two years. A weather station, closely co-located with six of the ten dwellings, was also established giving data on local external temperatures and other parameters. Differences in the performance characteristics of the heat pump systems over 2010 and 2011 are assessed with particular reference to differences in local weather conditions. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.