The Future Has Begun - Árbore da Veira

A specialist energy service provider for commercial customers, Creative Energy, was called in for the Árbore da Veira project. In collaboration with the local Saunier Duval sales organisation, the experts developed a customised solution. Their proposal was to replace the existing large gas boilers and the old ventilation system with a hybrid system consisting of heat pumps and a photovoltaic system. To do this, they wanted to rely on the new Genia Air Max 15-kilowatt heat pumps from Saunier Duval, which can deliver high flow temperatures thanks to the use of the natural refrigerant R290. The units work reliably in outdoor temperatures that range from –25 to +46 degrees Celsius and they also operate very quietly. Sergio González, Director of Creative Energy, emphasises another advantage of the Genia Air Max heat pumps: the robustness of the units against wind and weather, something that he considers essential in such a salty environment as the one in Monte de San Pedro, right by the sea.

As two 150-kilowatt boilers needed to be replaced, it was necessary to determine how many heat pumps would be required. This was based on the heat output of the boilers in the last two years of operation and meteorological data on average winter temperatures in recent years. The calculation showed that 14 heat pumps would have to be installed. The units were to work in a cascade and feature a modular control system to allow their operation to be adapted to higher or lower outputs as required. And this had to apply to both cooling and heating. For the photovoltaic support, the calculation indicated a peak demand of 50 kilowatts. Accordingly, 115 monocrystalline solar panels with 156 cells were fitted. As a result, the photovoltaic system supplies over 60,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity for the operation of the heat pumps – or a good three quarters of total consumption. Both the solar collectors and the heat pumps were integrated into the flat roof of the building.