Overview on Solar Thermal Plus Heat Pump Systems and Review of Monitoring Results

In recent years several companies started offering Solar thermal And Heat Pump Systems (SAHPS) on the European Market; already in 2009 an overview was given for example by Zörner W. et al (2009). For single family houses the systems are offered as pre defined package (kit) solutions. The systems deliver thermal energy for heating, domestic hot water and eventually as well cooling to the building usually without any further back up burner. The hydraulic schemes of the single systems, especially the degree of integration of the solar thermal and electrical driven heat pump unit vary significantly. The same is true for the used low temperature heat source for the heat pump where ground heat exchangers (horizontal and vertical), ambient air, specific solar collectors, phase change material storages (e.g. ice/water) and exhaust air are implemented.