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Benchmarking

Main task of this activity is to identify on European level criteria for the application of GSHP ("benchmarks") published in European, national and regional regulations, standards, guidlines etc. These information shall be communicated to the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) for further consideration.

Basically benchmarks are needed as determining factors for

• Rules and regulations (measure of quality)
• Incentive programmes (criterion for granting subsidies)
• Labeling schemes (rating scale)
• Standards and technical guidelines (measure of quality)

as well as for comparing heating and cooling systems in terms of energy efficiency, economic efficiency and environmental impact.

For GSHP the following benchmarks have to be considered:

• Energy efficiency

- Heat pump device: Coefficient of Performance (COP) / Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER)
- Heat pump system: Seasonal Performance Factor (SPF) / Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER)
- Different heating and cooling systems: Primary Efficiency Ratio (PER)

• Economic efficiency

- Payback period
- CO₂ emission avoiding cost

• Environmental impact

- Total Equivalent Warming Impact (TEWI)
- CO₂ index (gCO₂ per kWh heat output/cooling delivery)

A preliminary compilation and analysis of benchmark information on European level shows a pretty inhomogeneous situation. While the European standard EN 15450 (October 2007: Heating systems in buildings - Design of heat pumping systems) and guidelines published by the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) comprise Seasonal Performance Factor (SPF) requirements for new and existing buildings the EU Eco Label sets minimum values for Coefficient of Performance (COP) and Primary Energy Ratio (PER), for new and existing buildings too. Also the application of benchmarks on national level including the default values given is still non-uniform. Under discussion is the introduction of a CO₂ index (gCO₂ per kWh heat output/cooling delivery) for all heating/cooling systems.

An Excel file presents the recent status of the compilation of benchmark information on European level. Currently information from the European Union, Austria, France, Germany, Poland and Romania are available.

Comments on this benchmark overview are highly welcome. Please, send your input to:

FIZ Karlsruhe
Dr. Axel Lehmann
Email: axel.lehmann@fiz-karlsruhe.de

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