Discussions

Discussions. It also made clear that heat pumps are really beginning to break through market and other barriers and that all markets are showing signs of growth. China and Europe are good examples of significantly growing markets. “Heat pumps are where the action is” certainly applies to China with its booming construction sector and HVAC industry. Of course, the success of the conference was also the result of thorough preparation, the excellent location and the participation of over 300 people who came from all over the world.
The status of heat pumps can best be characterised by the diversity in technology, markets and developments. Examples are gas heat pumps, combined heat pumps and thermal storage, advances in CO2 technology for water heating, diversity in system design, and the broadly applied and expanding ground-coupled heat pump markets. New competing technologies are emerging, such as micro-CHP and fuel cells in residences and light commercial applications. There is no single solution available and this provides excellent opportunities for countries to collaborate and learn from each other.