{"title":"High-temperature heat pumps: market overview, state of the art, and application potential.","authors":"Cordin Arpagaus","doi":"10.1007/s10098-026-03452-5","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>High-temperature heat pumps (HTHPs) are a key technology for enabling the decarbonization of industrial process heat up to about 200 °C and for generating steam. This paper reviews the state of the art in HTHP technologies, presents case studies from Europe, and discusses their potential applications in New Zealand. Industrial sectors such as dairy, food processing, and chemicals are identified as particularly relevant due to their substantial demand for low- to medium-temperature heat. Case studies from European demonstration projects demonstrate the successful integration of HTHP, achieving coefficients of performance (COP) ranging from 2.5 to 4.5 under varying operating conditions, while delivering significant energy savings and CO₂ emission reductions. The transition to natural refrigerants, large-scale demonstrations, and supportive policy frameworks emerge as critical enablers. Economic feasibility is strongly influenced by market dynamics, particularly the ratio of electricity to fossil-fuel prices and the CO₂ intensity of the electricity supply. Environmental regulations also significantly influence refrigerant availability and system design choices. Technical challenges remain in compressor design, refrigerant selection, and efficiency limitations associated with large temperature lifts. The analysis highlights three priorities for accelerating market adoption: (A) greater dissemination of knowledge about the integration of HTHPs in industrial processes, (A) increasing the availability of low-global-warming potential (low-GWP) refrigerants, and (B) improving the cost-competitiveness of electricity relative to fossil fuels. With these developments, HTHPs can play a central role in sustainable industrial energy transitions.</p><p><strong>Graphical abstract: </strong>Evolution of the high-temperature heat pump (HTHP) market from 2018 to 2024, showing the growing number of HTHP suppliers, categorized by maximum heat supply temperature, heating capacity (logarithmic), and compressor technology (colors) (Figure credit: C. Arpagaus, OST).</p>","PeriodicalId":10329,"journal":{"name":"Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy","volume":"28 5","pages":"148"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1000,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13658411/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-026-03452-5","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/5/13 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
High-temperature heat pumps (HTHPs) are a key technology for enabling the decarbonization of industrial process heat up to about 200 °C and for generating steam. This paper reviews the state of the art in HTHP technologies, presents case studies from Europe, and discusses their potential applications in New Zealand. Industrial sectors such as dairy, food processing, and chemicals are identified as particularly relevant due to their substantial demand for low- to medium-temperature heat. Case studies from European demonstration projects demonstrate the successful integration of HTHP, achieving coefficients of performance (COP) ranging from 2.5 to 4.5 under varying operating conditions, while delivering significant energy savings and CO₂ emission reductions. The transition to natural refrigerants, large-scale demonstrations, and supportive policy frameworks emerge as critical enablers. Economic feasibility is strongly influenced by market dynamics, particularly the ratio of electricity to fossil-fuel prices and the CO₂ intensity of the electricity supply. Environmental regulations also significantly influence refrigerant availability and system design choices. Technical challenges remain in compressor design, refrigerant selection, and efficiency limitations associated with large temperature lifts. The analysis highlights three priorities for accelerating market adoption: (A) greater dissemination of knowledge about the integration of HTHPs in industrial processes, (A) increasing the availability of low-global-warming potential (low-GWP) refrigerants, and (B) improving the cost-competitiveness of electricity relative to fossil fuels. With these developments, HTHPs can play a central role in sustainable industrial energy transitions.
Graphical abstract: Evolution of the high-temperature heat pump (HTHP) market from 2018 to 2024, showing the growing number of HTHP suppliers, categorized by maximum heat supply temperature, heating capacity (logarithmic), and compressor technology (colors) (Figure credit: C. Arpagaus, OST).
期刊介绍：
This journal publishes papers that aid in the development, demonstration, and commercialization of cleaner products and processes as well as effective environmental policy strategies. As its title suggests, the journal has two major thrusts: Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy.
The Clean Technology thrust addresses the science and engineering of clean technologies. Moreover, it examines mathematical and computer-based methods and models for designing, analyzing, and measuring the cleanliness of products and processes. The Environmental Policy thrust covers research advances in scientific, social, behavioral, and economics disciplines that are relevant to complex environmental policy issues.
In addition to research papers, the journal offers policy-oriented commentaries from world renowned leaders in environmental technology and policy research. It also features special issues focusing on topics of international concern.
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号
