How do ground source heat pumps affect the environment?
By using electricity to power the compressor in the heat pump, a ground source heat pump system will still produce a certain amount of CO2 – although a lot less than a conventional gas or oil boiler. To reduce this amount further, you could use another renewable form of energy such as solar electricity or sign up to a green electricity tariff to power the system. Also, ground source heat pumps use toxic or flammable refrigerants to regulate temperature. Although these can potentially pose a threat to the environment, new, less harmful blends are being developed.
