Market trends and developments of the Renewable Heating and Cooling sector
The online webinar “Market trends and developments of the Renewable Heating and Cooling sector” kicked off on the 21st of March with inspiring presentations by speakers representing the Renewable heating and cooling sector across Europe.
Christian Brunner, CEO of AEE INTEC in Austria, addressed future innovations for a sustainable thermal energy supply in the European manufacturing industry. He highlighted the growing role of heat pumps in industrial decarbonization, emphasizing efficiency, renewable electricity utilization, and waste heat recovery. Brunner also discussed the integration of digital tools into heat pump systems and the increasing use of solar-thermal energy to power heat pumps.
Neil Turley, Managing and Engineering Director at Netgreen.eu OU and Netgreensolar Ltd, discussed positive market trends in both urban and rural areas but noted potential challenges hindering full acceptance. He highlighted the increasing adoption of rooftop photovoltaic and heat pump combinations, particularly in Mediterranean regions. Turley identified the aging building stock as a major obstacle to expanding heat pump installations, citing complexities in retrofitting due to differing building codes, outdated local grid infrastructures, and limited understanding of building services and heat pump integration. He recommended that governments implement standards and regulations alongside subsidies to incentivize consumer adoption, advocating for a "stick and carrot" approach.
Andrea Voigt, Vice President and Head of Global Affairs & Sustainability at Danfoss Climate Solutions, discussed trends and drivers for decarbonizing our building stock. She highlighted the pivotal role of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and its mandate for EU member states to promote renovations and achieve zero-emission buildings by 2050. Voigt emphasized the need for collaboration between sectors like heat pumps and district heating, stressing consumer awareness of renewable solutions' energy efficiency. She cited Sonderborg in Denmark as a model city for holistic decarbonization approaches, advocating for similar initiatives in other cities.
Leading the dialogue, Elisabetta Tillier from the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) steered the conversation, ensuring that all viewpoints were heard and nurturing a collaborative environment.
We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the distinguished speakers and attendees for their significant and remarkable contributions to this enlightening occasion. We deeply value their insightful perspectives and steadfast commitment, which have been instrumental in paving the way for a more environmentally friendly and sustainable future in Europe. Moving forward, we reiterate our strong dedication to embracing the suggestions put forth during this discussion and actively working towards the adoption of renewable heating and cooling solutions.
Stay tuned to the RHC ETIP Platform for future updates and events leading to a more sustainable Europe!
The recording of the online event is available here, the presentations are available here. EHPA detailed article on the event is available here.
