The heat pump
A heat pump uses electricity to move heat from the outside air or ground into the building's heating and hot-water system.
Solar PV
Photovoltaic panels generate electricity when solar conditions allow. That electricity can contribute to household loads, including a heat pump when generation and demand coincide.
Battery storage
A battery stores electrical energy for later use. Its value and operating strategy depend on generation, tariffs, household demand, battery capacity and control arrangements.
Do they automatically work together?
Not necessarily. Having all three technologies does not guarantee optimal coordination. Controls, tariffs and usage patterns determine how electrical generation and storage interact with heating demand.
A real Hull system
Our Kingswood HU7 project incorporates an LG air source heat pump, unvented hot water, solar thermal, solar PV and connected battery storage. It demonstrates the increasingly integrated nature of domestic energy systems.
Service the heating as a system
Even where the electrical technologies are maintained separately, the heat pump, hot-water cylinder and heating circuits still need appropriate servicing and system-level assessment.