Vattenfall and its Dutch subsidiary Feenstra have launched a new domestic heat pump which it says will enable households to swap out their existing gas boiler without further changes to their wider heating system.
The high temperature air-source heat pumps will be initially rolled out in the Netherlands next year before being introduced to more countries in future.
Vattenfall said the similarities between Dutch and British gas central heating mean the devices could be suitable for UK housing in suburban and rural areas.
The Swedish energy company said domestic heat pumps usually heat water to between 45 and 55 degrees Celsius, meaning households need to undertake additional work such as improving insulation, installing underfloor heating or adapting radiators for them to work efficiently. Like traditional gas boilers, Vattenfall said its new heat pump is able to heat water to higher temperatures of between 60 and 80 degrees Celsius, avoiding the need for these adaptations.
Mark Anderson, commercial and development director at Vattenfall Heat UK, said: “The high temperature heat pump solution is innovative, simple to install and could be the solution to help decarbonise homes in the UK that are heated using traditional gas boilers.
“There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to decarbonising heating. Removing emissions from heating relies on us making better use of waste heat from all sources and installing the right technologies in the correct locations of the country, where they will be most effective and affordable.”