PROGRESS AND PERSPECTIVE IN HEAT PUMPING TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS
Heat pumps are among the most promising technologies to reduce global warming emissions and to more rationally use energy. The analysis of the transformation chain accounting for various technologies starting from the electricity production shows that systems including heat pumps result in higher efficiencies than presently dominant technologies. However the full exploitation of the potential of heat pumps requires further technological progress and among them, oil-free hermetic compressors have a major role to play both from a global environment standpoint and from a miniaturization consideration. This is valid for decentralized and centralized heat pump systems as well as for the numerous opportunities for heat pump in industrial processes. Novel district heating and cooling systems with heat pumps and an efficient coupling with advanced cogeneration units are also important factors for the more sustainable cities of tomorrow.