Home > Areas of expertise > Energy and climate change strategies > Renewable heat and cooling

Renewable heating and cooling involves producing heat and cooling from renewable energy sources such as the sun, biomass and geothermal energy sources. Renewable heat technologies range from small-scale building-integrated options such as solar heat boilers, pellet boilers and individual heat pumps to large-scale options such as concentrated solar power, bio-CHP and geothermal heat. Renewable cooling options can include free cooling (e.g. night ventilation), the use of aquifers (for seasonal storage), heat pumps and concentrated solar power (CSP), shallow geothermal and biomass heat-driven cooling systems.

Ecofys has a long track record in renewable energy, including renewable heat and cooling. Our cross-sectoral activities and technological know-how on both the supply and the demand-side provide the basis for optimizing renewable energy across sources, technologies and sectors. Our wide range of customers, who include the European Commission and governments, allow us to combine insights from policy makers and market players.

Our services include:

• Expert reviews of renewable heating & cooling technologies
• Assessing the potential to save energy and reduce emissions through renewable heating and cooling technologies
• Market analyses & impact assessments for heating and cooling technologies and concepts
• Evaluating & designing policies for stimulating the development and implementation of renewable heating and cooling technologies.

References:

• Assessing the potential, costs and viable techniques for renewable heat & cooling in the Netherlands (for use in buildings, industry and agriculture) – Dutch government.
• The SOLARGE project: including papers on the potential for solar water heating in a number of EU countries – European Commission
• The PROGRESS project: including country factsheets on renewable energy policies (including renewable heating & cooling) for all EU Member States – European Commission.