Future solution with 'cheaper heating' for your home: How heat pumps are becoming smarter and therefore cheaper

🌞 Integration of renewable energies with smart technology

Anyone who is interested in a modern energy solution for their own home will quickly come across the topic of heat pumps. This technology is now an essential component for climate-friendly and energy-efficient heat supply. However, the actual cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness of a heat pump not only depend on its technical design, but also largely on where the electricity required for it comes from. This is where the new concept from E3/DC comes in, which aims to raise the operation of heat pumps to a completely new level through comprehensive digitalization and intelligent control strategies.

“We want our customers to have full control over their heat pump and at the same time benefit from low electricity prices and a high proportion of renewable energy,” says E3/DC. The company is one of the pioneers in the development of sustainable energy systems that seamlessly network solar power, battery storage and now increasingly also the heat pump. With the right strategy and the right technology, the heat pump becomes an active element in a dynamic electricity market.

Electricity prices in the regions - electricity procurement with network fees for 2023 - Image: E3/DC

📡 Digitalization as the key to more flexibility and efficiency

E3/DC's new control model, which will be available to customers with a smart meter from April 2025, offers fully digital optimization of heat pump operation. But what does this actually mean for the end consumer? Imagine you have a photovoltaic system on the roof, a battery storage system in the basement and now also a heat pump that provides your home with heat all year round. Until now, the heat pump usually ran independently of electricity prices and without taking into account the current supply of solar power or cheap grid power. In the future, however, it will be controlled using intelligent forecasts, dynamic electricity tariffs and smart interfaces so that it runs exactly when it makes the most economic and ecological sense.

“Our goal is to integrate the heat pump in such a way that it uses the largest possible proportion of self-generated solar power when there is excess available,” explain experts from E3/DC. This is particularly advantageous in spring, summer and autumn, when more solar power is often generated than the household currently needs. With the new software integration, this cost-effective internal electricity can be used directly for the heat pump. The result: Energy costs fall, the share of renewable energies in total consumption increases and the dependence on more expensive grid electricity purchases is reduced.

❄️ A heat pump for all seasons

In winter, however, when the days are shorter and cloudier, it is more difficult to cover the demand entirely from solar energy. But this is where the new flexibility comes into play: By connecting to the dynamic electricity market, the heat pump will in future be able to access time windows in which the electricity price on the network is particularly cheap. In such phases, the proportion of renewable energies in the electricity mix is ​​often high - for example when there is a lot of wind or hydroelectric power in the grid. The heat pump dynamically adapts to these market conditions to run at the optimal moment for you. “We ensure that our customers benefit from favorable tariffs even in winter and thus achieve significant cost advantages,” says E3/DC.

🌐 Networked technologies for the energy transition

SG Ready summer & winter function – Image: E3/DC

E3/DC is relying on several technological pillars in this realignment. One of these is the integration of the smart meter, which will be available in more and more households as a result of the upcoming smart meter rollout. The smart meter serves as a link between your home, the power grid and the energy provider. It makes the energy flow measurable, controllable and transparent. Together with modern cloud solutions and standardized communication protocols such as EEBUS, the heat pump can interact with other devices and market participants. The SG-Ready interface, which has been used in E3/DC domestic power plants for years, is now being expanded to include the dynamic possibilities of the electricity market. This means that the heat pump no longer remains a rigid consumer, but becomes a flexible component in the household that makes targeted use of inexpensive electricity.

The Energy Hub Alliance aims for comprehensive data networking – Image: EHA

🧠 Artificial Intelligence: Learning and Optimizing

Another important aspect is artificial intelligence: a specially trained neural network, based on data from around 35,000 existing installations, learns the individual energy needs of each household. “Every house is different, every customer has a very personal consumption profile,” emphasize the developers at E3/DC. “Based on this data, our neural network will create a load forecast that can accurately predict when the heat pump will be switched on optimally.” The goal: The operation of the heat pump should be fully automatically, intelligently and dynamically adapted to your everyday life, without you constantly having to have to take care of it.

⚡ Benefits for you and the environment

This digital networking offers a double benefit. On the one hand, you save costs because the heat pump always runs when electricity is cheap or in abundance. On the other hand, you make an important contribution to the energy transition. If more and more households flexibly adapt their heat supply to the availability of green energy, the electricity grid will become more stable and environmentally friendly overall. Instead of having to ramp up fossil peak-load power plants to cover electricity shortages, renewable generators can be used sensibly. This reduces CO₂ emissions and reduces dependence on fossil fuels.

🚿 Sustainability in everyday life

But how exactly does this work in everyday life? Let's assume that your heat pump is supposed to heat up the hot water tank at night so that the shower in the morning is pleasantly warm. In the past, she would have simply started running, regardless of the current price of electricity or the availability of solar power. In the future, the control system can plan ahead. If a favorable time window is announced for the night, when the electricity in the network is particularly cheap, the heat pump switches on exactly then. If, on the other hand, clear weather and high solar feed-in are expected early in the morning, you can shift the energy source to the supposedly sunny morning and thus use even more of your own electricity.

🚙 Integration with other energy systems

The integration of the heat pump into the overall system is also interesting for users who already use an electric car in their household. Although the heat pump itself does not yet offer bi-directional charging, as is becoming more and more of an issue with electric vehicles, it does work in a similarly flexible manner. If the electric car is not currently being charged, the heat pump can use this gap to work cost-effectively during a favorable electricity window. This harmonizes the interaction of all energy sectors in the household.

🌍 One step further towards the energy transition

You as a customer in particular benefit from this development, but also the entire energy system. The more intelligently your heat pump responds to market prices, load forecasts and the availability of solar power, the lower your electricity bill will be. And the more households use such technologies, the better the expansion of renewable energies can be integrated into the electricity grid. In this way, every user supports environmental protection and contributes to the success of the energy transition. “Our vision is for the heat pump to become a natural part of a modern, sustainable energy landscape,” explain the developers at E3/DC. “We don’t want a purely technical approach, but rather a system that works for people, is tailored to their needs and at the same time keeps the big picture in mind.”

📅 The future begins in 2025

And the best thing is: This comprehensive digitalization is not a distant dream of the future, but is already within reach. From April 2025, fully digital control will become a reality for customers with smart meters. The expanded functions will then be available for all E3/DC domestic power plants built from 2012 onwards - a real upgrade in terms of comfort, efficiency and cost savings. The SG-Ready interface, previously designed primarily for the use of your own solar power, will be made fit for the dynamic electricity market and will in future be able to take advantage of the opportunities offered by cheaper tariffs even in winter, when solar yield is scarcer.

🏡 Intelligent heat pumps, satisfied customers

Overall, this creates a holistic solution that goes far beyond the previous standard. If your heat pump is no longer just a silent consumer, but an intelligent player in a flexible, digitally networked energy system, then everyone benefits: you as the end consumer, because your electricity bill goes down and you increase the climate friendliness of your home. The power grid because it is better supplied with renewable energy and can more easily compensate for fluctuations. And last but not least, the environment, because fewer fossil resources have to be burned.

Anyone who invests in a heat pump today or already owns one will win several times over with this new digital strategy from E3/DC. While the building standard determines the energy demand, intelligent control ensures that this demand is met as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. This turns every homeowner into an active designer of their own energy transition - and at the same time ensures you tangible advantages in terms of costs, independence and environmental friendliness.

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#️⃣ Hashtags: #energy transition #heat pump #solar power #energy efficiency #climate protection

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🔋❄️ Heat pumps have established themselves in recent years as a key technology for sustainable and energy-efficient heat supply. However, their operating costs vary significantly worldwide, which is mainly due to the different electricity prices and political conditions in the respective countries.

🌟 Germany

With average electricity prices of 23 to 25 cents per kilowatt hour, Germany is one of the most expensive markets in the world. These high costs can reduce the attractiveness of heat pumps because the economic advantage over conventional heating systems is smaller. However, special heating electricity tariffs often offer 10 to 20% savings compared to regular household electricity. The federal government is also promoting the use of heat pumps through financial incentives and subsidies as part of the energy transition. These subsidies are intended to cushion the high acquisition costs and accelerate the switch to renewable energies.

🌀 France

In France, electricity prices are moderate compared to other European countries, which makes the operation of heat pumps more cost-effective. The country relies heavily on nuclear energy, which leads to stable and relatively low electricity prices. Government programs support the installation of heat pumps, particularly in new buildings and when renovating old buildings. This helps to reduce CO₂ emissions and achieve climate goals.

🌞 USA

The United States benefits from low electricity prices, particularly in regions with high fossil fuel and renewable energy production. Heat pumps are a cost-effective option in the long term, especially in states with mild climates such as California or Florida. The U.S. government and individual states offer tax credits and rebates for installing energy efficient systems to reduce energy consumption and reduce dependence on imported energy sources.

🌲 Poland

Electricity prices in Poland are higher than in some neighboring countries, but demand for heat pumps is still increasing. The main reasons for this are the rising cost of coal and the need to improve air quality. Old coal furnaces contribute significantly to air pollution, which is why the government has initiated programs to promote the replacement of these systems. Heat pumps are seen as an environmentally friendly alternative that also offers long-term economic benefits.

🏯 China

China has invested heavily in renewable energy in recent years, which has resulted in comparatively low electricity costs. Heat pump operation therefore remains affordable and the technology is increasingly being used in both urban and rural areas. The Chinese government is actively promoting the use of heat pumps to combat pollution and increase energy efficiency. Large-scale government programs and subsidies are driving the spread of this technology.

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#️⃣ Hashtags: #heat pumps #energy transition #sustainability #climate protection #technology

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