Alternatives for Decarbonising High-Temperature Heating Facilities in Residential Buildings

Juan Carlos Roca Reina (), Johan Carlsson (), Jonathan Volt and Agne Toleikyte
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Juan Carlos Roca Reina: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Petten, The Netherlands
Johan Carlsson: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Petten, The Netherlands
Jonathan Volt: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Petten, The Netherlands
Agne Toleikyte: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Petten, The Netherlands

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 2, 1-19

Abstract: The European Union aims to become carbon-neutral by 2050 and to reduce CO 2 emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The buildings sector accounts for about 40% of its total energy consumption and is responsible for 36% of the total CO 2 emissions. For this reason, decarbonising the heat consumed in buildings is key to meeting these targets. CO 2 emission reduction in buildings typically involves upgrading heating facilities to enable heat supply at lower temperatures, or renovating buildings, both of which can be challenging for end users. This paper analyses reducing emissions from residential buildings using high-temperature or hybrid heat pumps that can produce water at the same temperature as condensing boilers. This enables a significant reduction in emissions from buildings for owners who cannot afford or do not want to undertake a full renovation or upgrade of their current hydronic facility. The methodology followed makes use of a simplified hourly energy model based on ISO 52016-1:2017. The results indicate that, depending on the EU region, reducing CO 2 emissions in buildings through these types of systems is feasible, leading to CO 2 emission reductions of 40% to 70%.

Keywords: energy; buildings; decarbonisation; high-temperature heating; hybrid; heat pumps (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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