Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) take lowgrade energy from the ground and convert it into usable energy at a higher temperature for space heating and water heating. The easy way to understand it is that the pump works on the same principle as a refrigerator, but operating in reverse. The ground in the United Kingdom is heated to an average temperature of approximately 12°C by the sun, so GSHPs are actually making use of solar energy. In this sense they are renewable – but it’s worth bearing in mind that they still require mains power to run the pump.
How does a GSHP work?