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Panasonic offers residential heat pump solution that uses solar radiation forecasts

Source：PV Magazine

Panasonic has recently released a new version of its Eco Cute CO2 heat pump that is equipped with a solar radiation shift function adjusting domestic hot water (DHW) production during daytime to rooftop PV power generation.

 

Called Ohisama Eco Cute, the new heat pump system uses a dedicated app to obtain day-ahead solar forecasts. These data are then used to predict the optimal start time for heating the water the next day. The scheduled heating time is set between 17:00 and 23:00 on the day before and is displayed on the solar radiation shift settings screen.

 

“With the previous version of the heat pump, water would start to be heated during the set daytime hours,” the Japanese conglomerate said in a statement, noting that both the Ohisama Eco Cute and the standard Eco Cute system feature a solar charging function that uses surplus electricity generated and stored from PV sources. “Now water can be heated with the highest levels of solar radiation.”

 

Compared to a typical Eco Cute system, the Ohisama Eco Cute can reportedly reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 62% per year and electricity costs for hot water supply by approximately 41%, with power consumption being reduced from 625 kWh/year to 577 kWh/year.

 

The standard Eco Cute solution can reportedly deliver a water temperature of up to 90 C with a heating coefficient of performance (COP) of around 3.9. It includes a hot water storage unit that purportedly saves energy by maintaining bathwater temperatures at a constant level. It also helps homeowners to save energy at night by using heat from their bathwater. In addition, the device reduces energy and water use. It can use electricity to generate DHW during the night or day, said Panasonic.

 

The product was developed with Tepco Energy Partner, an electricity retailer owned by Japanese utility Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco).

 

In September, Panasonic announced it integrated a series of home energy management solutions into its Aquarea air-to-water heat pumps for commercial and multi-dwelling residential applications. The system was equipped with the Balance smart thermostats and the Heat Pump Optimizer X management system from Germany-based Tado.

 

“This new integrated solution is managed by a tailored user-friendly application to deliver maximum heating efficiency whilst optimizing comfort in the home,” Panasonic said in a statement. “The app enables users to enhance their heat pump settings for greater efficiency, automatically adjusting electricity usage to periods of time when renewable energy is available and at low cost.”

 

According to Panasonic, the new thermostats can identify the most cost-efficient times to automatically activate the heat pump.

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