Energy+ pumps – Technology procurement for very energy efficient circulation pumps, first results of the current IEE-project

Claus Barthel and Stefan Thomas, Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment, Energy, Germany
Georg Benke, Austrian Energy Agency A.E.A,
Bernd Schäppi, Austrian Energy Agency A.E.A
Fabio Forfori, Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimenta di Energetica, Italy
Ruben Guisson, Flemisch Institute for technological research (Vito), Belgium
Louiza Papamikrouli, Centre for Renewable Energy Sources (CRES), Greece
Margarita Puente, ESCAN, S.A., Spain
Tomas Spirek, SEVEn, Stredisko pro efektivni vyuzivani energie, o.p.s. Czech Republic
Kimmo Rautiainen, Motiva Oy, Finland
Jörg Köhl, Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH
Alain Anglade, ADEME, France
Jürg Nipkow, ARENA, Switzerland

Keywords

circulation pump, circulator, “Factor Four” pump, technology procurement, market transformation, Energy+, European wide market study, label

Abstract

About 2 % of the overall electricity consumption of the EU is caused by circulators in single or double family homes and flats. A new technology of pumps with electronically commutated (EC) motor pumps is available now; it is one possible way to achieve a reduction in circulator annual electricity use by 60 % or more.

The project’s objective is a market transformation towards this new very energy-efficient pump technologies – Energy+ pumps – for circulators in heating systems, both stand alone and integrated in boilers. Only few manufacturers have so far introduced the new pump technology to the market for single or double family homes and flats.

To bring more products to the market from all major manufacturers, the project will adapt and apply the technology procurement methodology as it was very successfully tested in the European Energy+ project on energy-efficient cold appliances [5] [6].

Large buyers will be aggregated, to activate the pump and boiler manufacturers. Sales and training materials and a sizing spreadsheet software for installation contractors will be developed and applied. A competition both for energy-efficient products and marketing campaigns will be organised and the information on the Energy+ pumps will be disseminated widely through website, newsletter, media, and fairs.

This paper gives a short overview of this project and presents the results of the first project phases: a European wide market study on circulators and heating systems, and the first Energy+ lists for circulators, buyers and supporters.