Ecodan air source heat pumps provide heating and hot water to Great Yarmouth residents

(27/11/2009)

Nine different-sized properties in Great Yarmouth will have traditional heating pushed aside for the installation of Mitsubishi Electric's Ecodan® air source heat pump (ASHP), which will provide at least three units of heating energy for every one unit of electricity it consumes.

The residents in Great Yarmouth are set to save money on their utility bills with the installation of the technology that harvests "free" energy from the surrounding air and upgrades it to provide heating and hot water.

The project, spearheaded and part-funded by energy agency Renewables East in conjunction with Great Yarmouth Borough Council, will monitor the ongoing fuel savings achieved in each property through the use of Ecodan.

Mr Bird, a resident involved in the project, has had the storage heaters in his 3-bed semi-detached property replaced with the Ecodan unit along with Solar Thermal technology to provide hot water. "My wife and I are both retired so the cost of running the house can be quite a challenge, especially in the winter months," said Mr Bird. "Ecodan will provide all of our heating and will also take over the demand for hot water during the winter when solar technology is less effective."

The Dodd Group - the company responsible for installing the technology - will complete the project over a five-week period, and have deliberately chosen a variety of different sized properties with various existing heating systems to highlight the advantages of Ecodan over traditional carbon-based heating systems.

"Air source heat pumps are becoming increasingly popular as homeowners realise the potential for cost savings," said Steve Webster, Renewable Contract Manager for the Dodd Group. "Unlike gas and oil boilers, they require little more than a visual maintenance check once a year, are almost 'fit and forget' and can help to reduce a household's energy consumption dramatically."

Mitsubishi Electric's Ecodan can help reduce fuel bills by up to 30% and carbon emissions by up to 50%, when compared to a modern gas condensing boiler. Savings against older gas, oil, or LPG systems are even greater. The unit is available in three sizes and is also suitable for retro-fit properties that have been thermally upgraded, making it ideal for properties such as the Bird's home.

Related categories:  Energy Conservation   Heat pumps   Hot water generation and supply   Residential applications   Solar heating