Abstract
The increasing global temperature has induced many states to limit carbon dioxide emissions. The European Union (EU) promotes replacing boilers with heat pumps. However, in countries where electricity is mainly supplied through fossil fuel combustion, condensing gas boilers may prove to be more ecological heat generators. Although this problem was investigated in a particular situation, an algorithm can be applied elsewhere. The running expenditures for the following different heat generators that are available in a location were estimated: water heat pump, brine heat pump, air heat pump, condensing gas boiler, condensing oil boiler, district heat network, and electrical grid. Furthermore, carbon dioxide emissions from local and distant sources were evaluated. The computations were based on hourly averaged external temperature measurements, which were performed by the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management—National Research Institute (IMGW-PIB) in a weather station in Białystok (Poland) for a ten-year period. Compared with a condensing gas boiler system, the air-to-water heat pump has higher operating costs and higher CO2 emissions. The brine heat pump (closed-loop ground-source heat pump) has lower operating costs, but higher CO2 emissions than the gas boiler system. The water heat pump (groundwater source heat pump) has the lowest operating costs and CO2 emissions of all the systems studied in this paper.
Highlights
The mean air temperature on Earth has been increasing since the midpoint of the 20th century
The Keeling Curve shows the rise in carbon dioxide concentration from 316 ppm in 1960 to 385 ppm in 2010 at Mauna Loa Observatory (Hawaii) [1], which is considered as a proof of the hypothesis that global warming is caused by greenhouse gas emissions
The Kyoto Protocol expired on 31 December 2012, the states affiliated with the European Economic Area decided to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% below 1990 levels by the year 2020 [2]
Summary
The mean air temperature on Earth has been increasing since the midpoint of the 20th century. It is believed that the emissions of greenhouses gases (methane, carbon dioxide, water vapor, ozone, nitrous oxide, halogenated hydrocarbons, and so on) are responsible for the temperature rise. The Keeling Curve shows the rise in carbon dioxide concentration from 316 ppm in 1960 to 385 ppm in 2010 at Mauna Loa Observatory (Hawaii) [1], which is considered as a proof of the hypothesis that global warming is caused by greenhouse gas emissions. This proposal makes it an obligation to reduce the emissions of six of the greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. The Kyoto Protocol expired on 31 December 2012, the states affiliated with the European Economic Area decided to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% below 1990 levels by the year 2020 [2]
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