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Solving barriers for effective utilization of Seawater Heat Pumps for heating and cooling in the Adriatic region

Space heating and cooling demand equals or even surpasses electricity demand in some parts of EU. Since the sector of generation of heat today is dominated by the fossil fuels in the Adriatic region, big changes are needed for energy transition towards a sustainable low carbon future. In Adriatic region air to air heat pumps are often used due to high cooling demand. This in combination with high ratio of renewable energy sources in electricity grid gives much lower emissions of greenhouse gasses. Still to get the best results we need to aim for more efficient heat pumps – with higher coefficient of performance (COP), which can be best achieved with heat pumps using seawater, especially in coastal areas. Best results are obtained for the case with low-temperature heating, which can be a barrier for the older and inefficient buildings. Thermal energy of the seawater is underexploited in the Mediterranean region, but many projects are developing these solutions. Opportunity for this technology are the new-built hotels that need heating and cooling throughout the whole year with large demand and can achieve significant savings and high level of comfort. In the COASTENERGY project, the potentials of blue energy are analyzed with specific focus on thermal energy of the sea and the resulting impact on carbon footprint. The project assessment also deals with wave energy that has lower potentials in small, closed seas, like the northern parts of the Adriatic Sea.

Seawater heat pumps, COP, Space heating and cooling, COASTENRGY project, Adriatic Sea

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