Heat pumps
It is cold in the Nordic countries, which means a high consumption of energy for heating. Probably over half of all energy used by buildings goes to heating and hot water.
Heat pumps can help reduce this consumption. The amount of energy used to heat water or rooms can be reduced by 75 percent or more by using a heat pump. Heat pumps make it possible to transport heat from a lower to a higher temperature level. Even if it is cold outside, there is heat energy that can be used. Some heat pumps work right down to -30 degrees Celsius. In principle, heat pumps use the same technology as refrigerators, but in the opposite manner. Whereas a refrigerator pulls warm air out of the cabinet, the heat pump pulls warm air into the house. Even though the heat pump uses electricity it can provide up to three times as much energy as it uses.
It is possible to extract this heat from a range of sources. Energy is found in the form of heat in air, earth, sea, groundwater and bedrock. It is customary to divide heat pumps into three categories: air-air, air-water and water-water. An air-air heat pump extracts heat from the air outside and delivers warmer air indoors. A water-water heat pump, however, extracts heat from seawater or groundwater and supplies heat to water in radiators or floor heating systems.