The impact of heat pump configurations on reducing global warming potential in existing residential buildings
Wydział Inżynierii Środowiska i Energetyki, Politechnika Lubelska
Ciepłownictwo Ogrzewnictwo Wentylacja, 57 (10), 3-9, DOI: https://doi.org/10.65545/COW.2026.10.01
Słowa kluczowe: pompy ciepła, dekarbonizacja, GWP, ocena cyklu życia, modernizacja źródła ciepła
Streszczenie
Dekarbonizacja sektora ogrzewania budynków wymaga oceny możliwości zastępowania konwencjonalnych źródeł ciepła rozwiązaniami o niższym potencjale tworzenia globalnego ocieplenia (GWP). Szczególne znaczenie w tym procesie mają pompy ciepła, których efekt środowiskowy zależy jednak od zastosowanej technologii, warunków pracy oraz zastępowanego źródła ciepła. Celem pracy była ocena potencjału redukcji GWP wynikającego z zastosowania różnych typów pomp ciepła w modernizacji istniejącego budynku mieszkalnego. Analizę przeprowadzono dla budynku o powierzchni 120 m², porównując kocioł gazowy, olejowy, węglowy i na pellet z pompami ciepła powietrze–woda, solanka–woda oraz woda–woda. Sezonową efektywność pomp określono z wykorzystaniem programu WP-OPT© zgodnie z metodyką VDI 4650, a ocenę środowiskową przeprowadzono metodą IPCC 2013 GWP100a w ujęciu cyklu życia. Wyniki wykazały istotny potencjał redukcji GWP przy zastępowaniu kotłów gazowego, olejowego i węglowego pompami ciepła, przy czym największe ograniczenie emisji uzyskano dla kotła węglowego. Najniższe wartości GWP spośród analizowanych pomp uzyskano dla układu woda–woda, a następnie solanka–woda i powietrze–woda. Środowiskowy czas zwrotu dla wariantów B1–B3 wyniósł od 0,2 do 1,2 roku. Odmienny wynik uzyskano dla kotła na pellet, którego zastąpienie pompą ciepła zwiększało GWP w przyjętym modelu, co wynikało ze sposobu bilansowania emisji biogenicznego CO₂. Uzyskane wyniki wskazują na znaczący potencjał dekarbonizacyjny pomp ciepła w warunkach polskiego systemu elektroenergetycznego, przy jednoczesnej potrzebie uwzględnienia szerszego zakresu oddziaływań środowiskowych w dalszych analizach.
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Keywords: heat pumps, decarbonization, GWP, life cycle assessment, heat source modernization
Abstract
Decarbonization of the building heating sector requires an assessment of the feasibility of replacing conventional heat sources with solutions characterized by a lower global warming potential (GWP). Heat pumps are of particular importance in this process; however, their environmental performance depends on the technology used, operating conditions, and the heat source being replaced. The aim of this study was to assess the potential for GWP reduction resulting from the use of different types of heat pumps in the modernization of an existing residential building. The analysis was conducted for a 120 m² building, comparing a gas, oil, coal, and pellet boiler with air-to-water, brine-to-water, and water-to-water heat pumps. The seasonal efficiency of the heat pumps was determined using the WP-OPT© software in accordance with the VDI 4650 methodology, while the environmental assessment was performed using the IPCC 2013 GWP100a method within a life cycle perspective. The results demonstrated a significant potential for GWP reduction when gas, oil, and coal boilers were replaced with heat pumps, with the greatest reduction achieved for the coal boiler. Among the analyzed heat pump technologies, the water-to-water system resulted in the lowest GWP values, followed by the brine-to-water and air-to-water systems. The environmental payback period for variants B1–B3 ranged from 0.2 to 1.2 years. A different result was obtained for the pellet boiler, for which replacement with a heat pump increased GWP in the adopted model, primarily due to the method used to account for biogenic CO₂ emissions. The results indicate a significant decarbonization potential of heat pumps under the conditions of the Polish electricity system, while also highlighting the need to consider a broader range of environmental impacts in further analyses.
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