More than one million heat pumps were sold in France in 2022. This solution for the renewable production of heat and cold is on the rise and the trend is expected to accelerate. At the Ecological Planning Council on September 25, 2023, President Emmanuel Macron announced that he wanted to triple French heat pump production in five years.

If the heat pump is so popular, it is not without reason: they emit few greenhouse gases, PACs mobilize natural, local and inexhaustible renewable energies. They are recognized for their energy efficiency and their contribution to reducing the carbon footprint of buildings.

But are heat pumps suitable for business premises? Discover the types of PAC, their advantages for your business and your commitment to The energy transition.

What is a heat pump (PAC)?

A heat pump (PAC) is a system for the renewable production of heat or cold. It uses physical and chemical phenomena to transfer heat from one medium to another.

What is the principle of a heat pump?

Heat is a flow of thermal energy between two objects. It always moves from the hottest objects to the colder ones. The PAC uses this property to extracting heat from the environment and transferring it to another medium.

The refrigerant or refrigerant is at the heart of the system. Depending on its liquid or gaseous state, this fluid absorbs or releases heat in a repetitive cycle in four stages: evaporation, compression, condensation and expansion.

The key components of a heat pump

The heat pump works the opposite of refrigerators and freezers. Each stage of the heat transfer process is carried out via a component:

• The evaporator : to capture calories from the external source (air, water, soil), the refrigerant circulates in the evaporator located outside the building, in liquid and cold form. By moving in a warmer environment, the fluid absorbs calories, increases in temperature and is transformed into gas.

• The compressor : according to the principle of compression, the compressor increases the pressure of the gas to accelerate its rise in temperature.

• The capacitor : the hot and compressed fluid is fed to the condenser. This releases the calories absorbed and transfers them into the heating circuit.

• The holder : freed from its heat, the refrigerant loses pressure and temperature and returns to its initial liquid state. The regulator accelerates this phenomenon. The refrigerant is then ready to start the cycle again.

A reversible heat pump reverses the process to transfer the heat accumulated in buildings to the outside.

Heat pump and energy efficiency

The energy efficiency corresponds to Relationship between the quantity of energy produced and the quantity of electricity used. It translates to the coefficient of performance (COP). Mathematically, the lower the power consumption, the more energy efficiency is high.

The electrical consumption of heat pumps has long been an obstacle to their deployment. But this argument is based on a common misconception. The consumption of a conventional heat pump is still much lower than that of an oil-fired boiler.

With COP performance coefficients between 3 and 7, heat pumps are a highly efficient heating method. On average, they produce between 3 and 7 kW of heat energy for 1 kW of electricity consumed.

What are the different types of heat pumps (PAC)?

Heat pumps are classified into two categories according to their heat source: Aerothermal heat pumps (air-air and air-water) and the PAC geothermics (water-water and soil-water). The first term refers to the source of energy and the second term specifies how heat is distributed.

Air-to-air heat pump: models accessible to all

With 772,324 units sold in 2022, the air-to-air heat pump is the most popular model in France. Cheaper that the other PACs, they seduce by their performance And their speed of installation.

Air-to-air heat pumps draw calories from the outside air to heat the indoor air. They are visually recognizable by their external fan that captures the air and directs it to the evaporator. The heat transfer cycle can then begin. The heat produced is distributed via an air distribution circuit, composed of ducts and wall units.

The reversible air conditioning system is the great advantage of air-to-air heat pumps. They can be used in reverse mode in summer to cool the premises.

Air-water heat pump: a booming model

In 2022, 346,313 air-to-water heat pumps were sold in France, up by 30% compared to 2021. The air-to-water heat pump works like its air-to-air cousin. The difference? The mode of heat distribution.

The air-water heat pump use the existing heating system. The heat absorbed in the air is transported via a heat transfer fluid that feeds the radiators or heated floors. She can also produce domestic hot water. It is ideal for replacing an oil-fired boiler, without carrying out major work.

Water-water heat pump: constant heat production

The water-to-water heat pump uses calories from water captured underground, in groundwater, aquifers or underground watercourses.

Water-water PACs make it possible to freeing ourselves from climate constraints. In fact, the heat of the groundwater remains almost constant. On the other hand, the installation of a water-water heat pump requires expensive catchment work. This system also raises the question of the long-term availability of water resources.

Geothermal soil-water heat pump: an inexhaustible source of energy

Ground to water heat pumps impress with their efficiency and durability. They make use of the heat stored in the ground. With its constant temperature, it guarantees a stable energy performance all year round.

However, the soil-water CAP is less accessible to all. It requires high investments and land with great depths or areas to allow vertical or horizontal catchment.

Businesses: what are the environmental and economic benefits of using a CAP?

The heat pump is an economical and ecological heating and air conditioning solution, accessible to all businesses. To properly choose your model, you will have to carry out a thermal balance to assess your needs and properly size your equipment.

Energy savings: how does the CAP reduce your costs?

Heat production via a heat pump reduces your energy bills by reducing the need to buy electricity, gas or other fossil fuels. This choice reinforces your energy autonomy, while protecting you from price volatility on energy markets.

The installation of an aerothermal heat pump is relatively affordable, with a guaranteed profitability in the medium and long term depending on the model chosen.

Ecology: the positive environmental impact of PACs?

Heat pumps use sources ofenergies natural, local and inexhaustible. They are efficient renewable solutions to heat and cool your business premises. They emit few greenhouse gases and improve the carbon balance of your buildings.

The environmental performance of your heating can be strengthened by connecting the heat pump to a photovoltaic power generation system .

Like any production system, the heat pump has its ecological Achilles heel : The refrigerant. The transition is under way to replace R410A synthetic gas with R32. But while its environmental impact is 75% lower than that of R410A, R32 is still a Hydro Fluoro Carbon (HFC) that promotes the greenhouse effect.

With a global warming power (GWP) of 675 kg eq. CO2, R32 exceeds the European target of 400 kg eq. Maximum CO2 in 2030. A solution is on the horizon with the R290 gas — better known under the name of propane —, a natural refrigerant gas very ecological and effective but... flammable.

Comfort: maintain an ideal temperature all year round

The heat pump Produces heat quickly all year round, regardless of outside temperatures.

If their efficiency decreases during periods of extreme cold, the majority of models operate optimally up to an outside temperature of —7°C. You can opt for even more robust models, which withstand temperatures of down to —15°C or even —20°C.

Why a French heat pump production sector?

Making France the leader of green industry in France : this is the ambition shown by the government, which is preparing the green industry bill. The relocation of the entire heat pump production chain to France is part of this national energy transition strategy, combining reindustrialization and decarbonization.

The heat pump market is promising. 20 million heat pumps are now installed in Europe, including 3 million in France. And the State expects sales to accelerate in the coming years. Convinced that “the use of efficient heat pumps in buildings, industry and local heat networks is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions”, the European Commission is preparing an action plan for the sector.

The first European heat pump market, France already intends to position itself as the leading European producer.

To go further, do not hesitate to consult our article on Heating networks.