Frequently asked questions
By 2050, 7 million homes and 1 million buildings will have to stop using natural gas. That means a) insulating and b) using sustainable heat and electricity. A lot needs to be done, but there is still almost 30 years left to get it done.
As a first step, the first 1.5 million existing homes must be made more sustainable by 2030. Cooll’s thermodynamic heat pump will use gas as fuel in the first rollout. However, 30% less gas is needed to heat the house compared to existing condensing boilers. CO2 emissions are also 30% lower. By insulating the house, much higher combined savings in gas consumption and CO2 emissions can be achieved, depending, of course, entirely on the degree of insulation. Insulation is usually the best first step in realizing savings.
This way, we contribute to the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. The product has been developed in such a way that the heat pump can also function on biogas and hydrogen in the future; only the burner needs to be adjusted for this. In other words, a flexible solution that is prepared for the future.
Policy differences per country ensure that one country has a successful roll-out of the technology, while this will be less the case in other countries. In Germany, natural gas is used as a transition fuel, and large groups are connected to natural gas because the initial situation in Germany is completely different than in the Netherlands. Roughly half of the German households now use natural gas. About 14% of German households are connected to a heat network, 5% have electrical heating. In addition, a quarter of Germany burns fuel oil, and in the residual group, there are still households using propane and even on coal. A large proportion of households that use natural gas or fuel oil use outdated technology with low efficiency. By switching to a natural gas boiler in Germany first, a significant step has already been taken in light of the climate objectives.
In the Netherlands, about 90% of homes are already heated using a natural gas central heating boiler. In the Netherlands, the next step is to stop using natural gas altogether, but electrification makes the transition in the Netherlands slow and expensive, because the grid infrastructure needs a big upgrade. Cooll’s solution is unique in its simplicity: replacing the condensing boiler with a thermodynamic heat pump consumes less gas, saves CO2 emissions, and is ready for the transition to biogas or hydrogen.
Because the heat pump does not contain a rotating compressor, hardly any noise is produced in operating the cycle. In addition, the operation of the defrost cycle is very silent and the air extraction channels are made out of insulating material. The resulting perceived noise is comparable to that of a standard condensing boiler.
The heat pump is about the same size as a standard central heating boiler. As a result, it can be easily exchanged. The heat pump can be connected to existing supply and return pipes. The roof outlet for drawing in the outside air just needs to be increased a bit. A relatively simple adjustment that can be carried out from within the home.
Depending on the final configuration by the producers, the investment will be comparable to the investment in solar panels and can be earned back well within the economic lifespan through the savings on gas consumption
Hydrogen is the energy carrier of the future. It is expected that green hydrogen will first be blended into the gas grid. After 2030, we expected hydrogen to be rolled out on a larger scale. The role of hydrogen will be limited in the coming years because it cannot yet be produced sustainably.
The great thing about the Cooll heat pump is that it already works on natural gas, so you can already switch to a solution of the future.
Cooll will not produce heat pumps for commercial sales, but seeks collaboration with HVAC manufacturers worldwide to produce and sell Thermally Driven Heat Pumps with Cooll’s adsorption technology. In the meantime, Cooll will demonstrate the technology with prototypes that will be installed in small volumes.
If Cooll’s heat pump is combined with a DHW storage vessel, the user benefits from the increased efficiency of the adsorption cycle. During the night, when less energy is required for space heating, the heat pump can very efficiently heat the storage vessel to buffer for the typical hot water extractions during the day. Additional recharging can even be done in daytime, during periods when there is no space heating demand.
Cooll’s patent protected technology is ready to be introduced in local markets. To achieve this, Cooll will team up with established manufacturing partners that have the right competences and distribution channels to access these markets. Cooll has already conducted several field tests with different heat pump prototypes and has obtained the Kiwa type certification approval for it’s latest product prototype. A couple of CE-marked appliances will become available for demonstration purposes throughout 2024. Based on this evidence, the technology can be assessed at Technology Readiness Level 7 to 8 out of 9.
The actual savings will depend on specific circumstances, such as the existing heating appliance and the type of delivery system. With a one-on-one replacement of a typical condensing boiler, in combination with a high-temperature heating system, approximately 30% less gas will be required, compared to the existing condensing boiler. The emission of CO2 is also 30% lower. When replacing non-condensing appliance, or in combination with heating systems for lower temperatures (such as underfloor heating), the savings increase up to 40%. In combination with insulation of the house, much higher combined savings can be achieved.
Cooll has already showcased a fully functional heat pump operating on a 30% hydrogen blend, as part of the GROHW energy hub demonstration program. In parallel, a 100% hydrogen combustion chain was developed. Testing of this combustion chain takes place throughout the first half of 2024 and this will result in a Cooll TDHP running on 100% hydrogen becoming available in the second half of 2024.
The thermally driven heat pump is a bit larger in comparison to a standard central heating boiler, but small enough to be installed at the same location as a boiler. This can be in the attic, basement or any other location inside or even outside the house. The heat pump can be connected to the existing hydronic supply and return lines. In case of installation under a roof, a roof feedthrough unit of 30×40 cm is needed to fit the air extraction unit.