Does it pay to develop a ground source heat pump system? Evidence from China. (1st March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Tianzuo; Zhai, Yijie; Feng, Shoutao; Tan, Xianfeng; Zhang, Mingde; Duan, Longchen; Shi, Qipeng; Meng, Jia; Hong, Jinglan
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental management. Volume 305(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-03-01
• Subjects: China -- External cost -- Internal cost -- Ground source heat pump system -- Life cycle assessment; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; 363.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114378
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-4797

Abstract

Abstract: The application potential and environmental benefits of ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems have become the focal points of decarbonization in the building sector. Synchronized and scientific analysis of GSHP systems' environmental and economic performance, however, remains lacking. This study analyzes the application prospects of GSHP systems via a life cycle assessment-based life cycle costing method, and considers China's actual status quo. The internal and external annual costs of a GSHP system per square meter are $ 4.05 and $ 1.37, respectively. Electricity generation and steel production are key processes to improve the environmental performance of a GSHP system further. Compared with coal-based heating, a GSHP system can mitigate 65%–95% of the environmental impact and 85% of external costs, except for the metal depletion impact which is 1.5 times higher than that of coal-based heating. In Shandong Province, promoting GSHP systems can substitute up to 69.4% of the district heating area, which implies reductions in fossil depletion, greenhouse gas emissions, human health impact, ecosystem quality impact, and external costs by up to 2.37 × 10 10 kg oil eq, 1.08 × 10 11 kg CO2 eq, 3.87 × 10 5 DALY, 1.18 × 10 3 Species. year, and $ 2.51 × 10 10, respectively. In consideration of environmental and economic aspects, a GSHP system can exhibit benefits compared with coal-based heating after 2.34 years of operation. To improve the economic and environmental performance of GSHP systems, a series of recommendations on financial subsidies, renewable energy development, inter-regional power transmission, steel scrap utilization, and hydrogen reduction steelmaking is provided. Highlights: Environmental and economic feasibilities of a ground source heat pump were examined. Electricity generation and steel production are the main contributors. More than 65% of environmental impact and 85% of external costs can be mitigated. A ground source heat pump shows its life cycle benefits after 2.34-years operation. The application potential in the cities of Dongying, Yantai, and Qingdao is high.