Environmental Assessment of Residential Space Heating and Cooling Technologies in Europe: A Review of 11 European Member States

Riccardo Fraboni (), Gianluca Grazieschi, Simon Pezzutto, Benjamin Mitterrutzner and Eric Wilczynski
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Riccardo Fraboni: Institute for Renewable Energy, European Academy of Bolzano (EURAC Research), Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Gianluca Grazieschi: Institute for Renewable Energy, European Academy of Bolzano (EURAC Research), Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Simon Pezzutto: Institute for Renewable Energy, European Academy of Bolzano (EURAC Research), Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Benjamin Mitterrutzner: Institute for Renewable Energy, European Academy of Bolzano (EURAC Research), Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Eric Wilczynski: Institute for Renewable Energy, European Academy of Bolzano (EURAC Research), Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-22

Abstract: Greenhouse gas emissions have reached critical levels and climate change is threatening the globe. Thus, the space heating and cooling sector is striving to decarbonize assets through higher efficiency and renewable energy adoption for 2030 and 2050. This article reviewed data about the environmental impact and the primary energy consumption of 27 space heating and cooling technologies for the residential sector as if they were adopted in 11 different European member states: Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain, and Sweden. Direct emissions from the machineries and upstream indirect emissions from the energy carriers were considered. The analysis indicates that the adoption of renewable energy-powered technologies should be prioritized due to the significantly lower emissions related to these technologies. Notably, the emissions of electricity-powered technologies, if not driven by the direct self-consumption of renewable energy systems, highly depend on the region of adoption: in specific cases, such as in Poland, Cyprus, and Estonia, they can even exceed the emissions of coal-powered technologies. These countries should speed up the adoption of decarbonization policies regarding the residential sector to close the gap with the other EU member states and provide their contribution to the EU climate change goals.

Keywords: heating; cooling; environmental impact; heat pumps; renewable energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:5:p:4288-:d:1082832

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