A hybrid heat pump is a combination of an electrically operated heat pump and a fossil heat generator (e.g., gas, oil or wood boiler) that communicate with each other via a smart control unit. They are used as compact devices in single-family and two-family houses or are assembled together from individual components (heat pump, condensing boiler, storage tank) as bivalent systems and individually planned and installed for multi-family houses as well.
Hybrid heat pumps offer a number of advantages:
- Reduction of operating costs: Depending upon the current energy prices of gas, oil or electricity, the hybrid system can determine on its own which heat generator should be operated, thus reducing operating costs.
- CO2reduction: To minimise the environmental burden, the hybrid heat pump independently decides – depending upon the expected CO2 emissions – which heat generator features minimum environmental burden at the current operating point.
- Gradual renovation possible: An option for a gradual energetic modernisation is the extension of an existing fossil heating system with a heat pump in the first renovation phase. The existing heat distribution and heat transfer system and chimney can still be used.
