Comparison of solar heat pump systems to conventional methods for residental heating, cooling, and water heating. Final report

Technical Report · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5227114· OSTI ID:5227114

Hughes, P. J.; Morehouse, J. H.

Results of analysis of series and parallel configured solar heat pump systems for residences are presented. The year-round thermal performance for all the heating, cooling, and hot water system configurations were determined by simulation and compared against conventional heating and cooling systems in several geographic locations. The series and parallel combined solar heat pump systems investigated are at best marginally competitive, on a 20-year life-cycle cost basis, with conventional oil and electric furnace systems. The combined solar heat pump systems are not economically competitive with conventional gas furnace or stand-alone heat pump systems for residential space heating, cooling and water heating. The combined solar heat pump systems do offer the potential for significant energy savings as compared to conventional furnace systems and the stand-alone heat pump. The cost of that savings, however, is beyond that which the average consumer can be expected to pay. It appears unlikely that during the next five years any of the combined solar heat pump systems studied here will be installed for purely economic reasons. Further development of parallel and series combined solar heat pump systems should no longer be pursued, unless justified by policy level or other noneconomic factors.

• Research Organization: Science Applications, Inc., McLean, VA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77CH00178
• OSTI ID: 5227114
• Report Number(s): SERI/TR-981502(Vol.2)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140901* -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Space Heating & Cooling
140907 -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Water Heating
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320101 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Residential Buildings-- (-1987)
AIR CONDITIONERS
APPLIANCES
BUILDINGS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COST
ECONOMICS
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES
ELECTRIC FURNACES
ELECTRIC HEATING
EQUIPMENT
FURNACES
GAS APPLIANCES
GAS FURNACES
HEAT PUMPS
HEATERS
HEATING
HEATING SYSTEMS
LIFE-CYCLE COST
PERFORMANCE
REGIONAL ANALYSIS
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SIMULATION
SIZE
SOLAR AIR CONDITIONERS
SOLAR COOLING SYSTEMS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
SOLAR WATER HEATERS
SOLAR-ASSISTED HEAT PUMPS
SPACE HVAC SYSTEMS
VAPOR COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION CYCLE
WATER HEATERS