Policy Recommendations Air Conditioners for Heating

All air conditioners are suitable for both heating and cooling. The type of indoor unit is simply a matter of preference and suitability. Both types can cool and heat the room.

Find the two product lists for air-conditioners here:

	Wall-mounted indoor unit Air Conditioners with the indoor unit mounted at the wall are most common. The product range to choose from is very large. To the product list
	Floor-mounted indoor unit Air Conditioners with the indoor unit mounted at floor level can help create a higher level of comfort for the user as the warm air is emitted at floor-level where the heat is most needed. To the product list

Floor mounted units can be especially suitable for heating. The have the same form factor and dimensions of an electric heaters or a radiator. Therefore, the indoor unit of the air-conditioner can 1:1 replace an electric heater and be installed at the same spot. Beneficial is also the emission of warm air at floor level where it is needed, compared to wall-mounted units that emit the warm air at ceiling level and have to create an air flow to distribute the air across the room.

Policy recommendations

Key Actions

1. Information campaigns

• Objective: Educate HVAC installers and building associations, authorities, and the public on the benefits of using air conditioners for heating and address common misconceptions.

• Topten recommends that air-conditioners are recognized by all countries as a good heating solution and replacement for inefficient electric heaters. Often times, there is still a lack of knowledge or prejudices that prevent air-to-air heat pumps to be seriously considered for heating. Therefore, information campaigns are vital to overcome these barriers and show the technology works and has a huge savings potential.

2. Subsidy Programs

• Objective: Provide financial support to households and businesses for the installation of air conditioners for heating.

• Local and national governments are advised set up subsidy programs to financially support the installation of air-conditioners for heating.

• Germany, for instance, subsidizes efficient heating solutions with up to 70% of the investment cost and explicitly mentions air-to-air heat pumps as one of those solutions. High acceptance among users is demonstrated, given that in the first half 2024 air-to-air heat pumps made up approx. 30% of grant applications for heat pumps.

3. Regulatory support

• Objective: Create a favorable regulatory environment to promote the use of air conditioners for heating.

Rationale:

• Efficiency: Air conditioners used as heat pumps are four times more efficient than traditional electric heaters, leading to significant energy savings.
• Cost Savings: Lower energy consumption translates to reduced heating costs for households and businesses.
• Environmental Impact: Increased efficiency reduces greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.
• Public Perception: Addressing mental prejudices through education can lead to broader acceptance and adoption of this technology.
• Proven technology: With air conditioners it is not need to retrofit an expensive central heating system. The installation for air conditioners to replace electric heaters takes only a few days and it cost-effective. An air conditioner is a mass product sold by the millions every year. Therefore, the product range is large and the price low. There are models for every situation and need. For instance, different types of indoor units (floor mounted or wall mounted) and outdoor units working even in extreme cold environments with temperatures at -25 °C.

By implementing these measures, the government can promote a more sustainable and cost-effective heating solution, benefiting both the economy and the environment.

Technology with enormous potential

Air-conditioners are a well-established and proven technology with the potential to replace an endless amount of direct electric (resistance) heaters. Air-conditioners are air-to-air heat pumps and 4x more efficient than electric heaters. Therefore, there is a huge untapped savings potential. Many countries still miss out on this opportunity to save their citizens a lot of money for electricity and strengthen their nations' energy sovereignty.

Some countries already prove that air conditioners are a reliable, available, and affordable heating solution. In Sweden air-to-air heat pumps have a market share of more than 50% among heat pumps ¹. Air-conditioners function in cold, moderate and warm climate zones.

Infoplus

Publications

• Heating with Air Conditioners: Swiss Case Studies. Eric Bush, Steffen Hepp, Andrea Roscetti, Lorenz Deppeler. EEDAL 2024, paper and presentation.
• Heating with Air Conditioners. Feasibility of replacing direct electric heating with split air conditioning units (German version). Bundesamt für Energie BFE. April 2024.
• Heating with Air Conditioners - fast and affordable transition towards carbon neutrality. Andrea Roscetti, eceee 2021.
• Energy efficient room air conditioners - best available technology. Anette Michel, Eric Bush, Jürg Nipkow, Conrad U. Brunner. EEDAL 2011
• Electricity Consumption and Efficiency Trends in European Union – Status Report 2012 from the JRC.

Standards and Labels

• Commission Regulation No 626/2011 on the energy labelling of air conditioners: new energy label, compulsory since 1 January 2013.
• Commission Regulation No 206/2012 on ecodesign requirements for air conditioners and comfort fans. Tier 2 applies since 1 January 2014.
• European Commission, Energy Labelling of Domestic Appliances: Commission Directive 2002/31/EC of 22 March 2002 with regard to energy labelling of household air-conditioners (old energy label).
• Amendment regarding Online Energy Labels: Regulation No. 518/2014
• The measurement standard EN 14511 for air conditioners has been revised in 2011 and amended with EN 14825/2012 to include measurement at part load conditions and calculation of seasonal performance by the European Committee for standardisation CEN-CENELEC
• Topten Policy Recommendations from August 2022

Links

• EU Ecodesign and Energy labelling Framework
• The European council for an energy efficient economy eceee provides a status overview on all products in the Ecodesign & Energy Labelling process
• Coolproducts informs about the EU ecodesign process on air conditioners and other products.It is a coalition of NGOs' campaign for a stronger, fast Ecodesign Directive to save the climate and money.
• ECOS (Ecostandard) is an international NGO with a network of members and experts advocating for environmentally friendly technical standards, policies and laws.
• EPREL (European Product Registry for Energy Labelling) is the European product database. Products with an energy label are registered in EPREL in order to provide consumers with detailed product information.

Producers and retailers are kindly asked to contact info(at)topten.info to inform about more products which meet the Topten selection criteria.

10/2024 Hepp