Power your heat pump with solar cells

• Reduced energy costs: You use self-generated electricity to run your heat pump.
• Increased self-sufficiency: Less dependence on electricity prices and network providers.
• Sustainable solution: Reduced carbon dioxide emissions by combining two climate-smart technologies.

A ground source heat pump combined with solar cells provides a very energy-efficient solution. The solar cells produce electricity that can power the heat pump. If you want to expand your energy system in the future, you can use EnergyFlex to connect solar collectors, wood boilers, pellets or pool heating in the same system.

1. Can you run a ground source heat pump with solar cells?
   Yes, you can run a ground source heat pump with self-produced solar energy. When production is higher than consumption, the surplus can be sold back to the electricity grid.
   
   
2. Can you run an air-to-water heat pump with solar cells?
   Yes, you can run an air-to-water heat pump with self-produced electricity. The solar cells cover a large part of the energy demand during spring, summer and autumn, which makes it extra profitable.
   
   
3. How many solar panels are needed to run a heat pump?
   It depends on the size and efficiency of the heat pump, the energy needs of the house and the location of the solar panels. As a benchmark, 10–20 panels are often required to cover the heat pump needs of a normal house in Sweden. For example, a CTC ground source heat pump with SCOP 4 that requires 5000kWh in operating energy gives over 20,000kWh back, if you also have a solar cell system of about 10kW to cover, among other things, the operating energy for the heat pump, you become largely self-sufficient for heat and hot water.
   You cannot connect the solar cells directly to the heat pump, but the electricity is used throughout the house. Therefore, the photovoltaic system is usually dimensioned for the entire household's annual consumption, where the heat pump is an important part but not the only...

4. How can you heat water with solar cells?
   By using self-produced electricity from solar cells for the water heater, you can use the solar electricity directly to heat water. Alternatively, you can control the hot water production so that it takes place during the hours the solar cells produce the most.
   
   
5. Can I heat the pool with solar energy using a heat pump?
   Yes, it is quite possible. The heat pump uses electricity from your solar cells to power the compressor and heat the water in the pool. A cost-effective and sustainable solution.
   
   
6. How does a combination of solar collector and heat pump work?
   By combining solar collectors and heat pumps, you can use the solar heat to cover part of the hot water production and let the heat pump take the rest. With EnergyFlex, you can easily combine solar collectors and heat pumps in one and the same system.

"With solar cells powering the ground source heat pump, we become self-sufficient in heat – a flexible and sustainable solution," says Jakob Paulin. Read more here »

"The combination of solar cells, wind power and air-to-water heat pumps makes us self-sufficient – I've gone out in the evenings and looked at the heat pump because I've been so fascinated," says Göran Skaraby. Read more here »

Do you want to know more about how you can combine solar cells and heat pumps? Contact our CTC Partners for questions and help finding the right solution.

You can also read more about our products here:

• CTC ground source heat pumps »
• CTC air-to-water heat pumps »
• CTC Accumulator/Water Tanks »
• EnergyFlex »