A quick explanation on coefficient of performance (COP) If a heat pump is said to have a COP of 4, it means that the heat pump is over 400% efficient. That means for every 1kW of electrical energy that it consumes, a total of 4kW of heat is produced. This additional free energy comes from the heat source, either ground, air or water.
Below is a table comparing the efficiencies of three 10kW Ochsner heat pumps, using three different heat sources:
Operating point according to EN14511 | Power out | COP |
Ground Source Ochsner 10kW with Ground Loops | ||
Input 0°C / Output 35°C | 10.3kW | 4.6 |
Water Source Ochsner 10kW with Open Well | ||
Input 0°C / Output 35°C | 13.8kW | 5.7 |
Air Source Ochsner 14kW | ||
Air 2°C / Output 35°C | 16Kw | 4.4 |
The Ochsner GMLW 14 Plus air source heat pump, shown in the table opposite, also holds the world record with its COP of 4.4, which was achieved by an independent body in Switzerland, the Institute for Energy Systems.