Gas driven heat pump technologies can be split into sorption heat pumps and gas engine driven heat pumps. Efficient, gas driven heat pumps can reach high temperatures and therefore be used with existing distribution systems especially fit to produce domestic hot water in collective open systems.
- Absorption heat pumps can reach temperatures typically up to 75˚C.
- Gas engine driven heat pumps can reach temperatures up to 80˚C.
The main advantage of gas heat pumps in many markets is that, even if deployed widely, they would not constitute a significant burden on the electricity grid and as ground source heat pumps they need a smaller source.
Canada – Social Housing complex– Toronto. Field Test by The Atmospheric Fund of air source absorption heat pumps in order to determine if GAHPs are a technology that can provide efficient heating and reduce carbon emissions in a cold climate. Two units were installed and monitored as part of a DHW system in a large multi-unit residential social housing complex in Toronto, Ontario consisting of two buildings with a combined 372 apartments for seniors, and a gross floor area of 16,258 m2.
This type of project is directly linked to the Benny Hill project in Montreal in a Community Inspired Housing policy.
- France – Dinetard student residence – Toulouse – A new student residential building heated by air source gas absorption heat pumps for space heating and solar support for domestic hot water, monitored.
- France – Residence 9 Town – Lyon – New luxury housing project in the private sector for which the heat for space heating and domestic hot water is produced by a set of 4 gas absorption heat pumps.
- Netherlands – 2 MegaWatt-project – Schalkwijk – Haarlem – Netherlands – Renovation of nine apartment blocks with a new heating system based upon solar thermal energy and the first large scale application of absorption heat pumps feeding a fresh water system for collective domestic hot water.
- Netherlands – Jannes van der Sleedenhuis – Hoogeveen. Newly built care home with a high temperature gas engine heat pump for domestic hot water and space heating as an example for further investments by the housing corporation Woonconcept in Heereveen and Meppel.
- United States – Park Forest a multifamily house in Jackson Michigan (United States) has an interesting combination of 18 ROBUR absorption air source heat pumps providing space heating and domestic hot water by individual risers in wintertime and 4 ROBUR gas fired chillers in summertime to provide domestic hot water from what is called waste heat from cooling.
- United States – Capital Manor Retirement Community – Salem, OR – Renovation and monitoring of the sanitary hot water system in a multi storey retirement home by installing a high temperature gas engine heat pump in the central technical room on an existing installation.
- United States – Crothall Laundry Services, Tennessee. A gas absorption heat pump is retrofitted to operate as a pre-heat system for an existing gas boiler in a commercial laundry facility.
- United States – Single-family detached home in Huntington Beach, California. Demonstration of a Residential Gas-fired Heat Pump Water Heater. The GHPWHs were monitored by GTI over a period of approximately 12 months.
- United States – Single-family attached home in Stanton, California, to a family of four. Demonstration of a Residential Gas-fired Heat Pump Water Heater in California
- United States – Demonstration and Assessment of Residential Gas Heat Pump Water Heaters in the Los Angeles Basin. This project focused on a field, laboratory, and market evaluation of a “fourth generation” pre-commercial gas heat pump water heater.
- United States – Demonstration and Assessment of Natural Gas Heat Pumps for Integrated Water Heating and Air-Conditioning in Restaurants. An overall evaluation shows the potential in restaurants. Full project report and other deliverables to the California Energy Commission are expected to be posted online in early 2021.