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Danish energy concern Syd Energi has begun installing Denmark's first 'intelligent' heat pumps, which can both store electricity as heat as well as use electricity to supply heat. The installation of pumps is being conducted as part of a nationwide project in which 350 households have undertaken to replace their old oil-fired central heating with modern heat pump. The project is designed to generate knowledge and experience of how a network of intelligent heat pumps installed in homes throughout the country can be used to store surplus energy from wind turbines when supply exceeds demand, and then use the stored heat energy to produce electricity when demand exceeds supply. Per Munk Jensen, director of innovation and development at Syd Energi, says in a press release: "We have to manage our energy system much more intelligently in the future. Today we can just burn a bit more coal if demand for electricity increases. But you can't do that with wind turbines. So we see a big future for intelligent heat pumps and the good news is that it is relatively easy to do because heat pumps are built on known technology which we just have to put together in a smart way." Today there are around 80,000 heat pumps in Denmark producing a combined output of around 500 MW, which is equivalent to the power generated by two wind farms.
Source: Denmark.dk
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