Mitsubishi Electric has launched an enhanced version of its popular heat pump selection tool to include calculations for ground or water source applications over 30kW, and extended the platforms available to include the iPhone and Android devices.
 
The simple to use App offers an easy way for individuals or businesses to see what a heat pump can offer them in terms of reductions in running costs and emissions over gas, oil, LPG and direct electric heating.
 
For homeowners retrofitting renewable heating or for selfbuilders, the selection tool clearly illustrates how much they can save on energy bills, what the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) will mean for their house and how quickly the renewable system will pay for itself.
 
For businesses, the extension also calculates the relevant two tier RHI figure payable for ground or water source on non-Domestic properties, whether that is in a school, an office, a farm, an industrial building, a high-rise, or across an entire estate.
 
“The launch of the RHI scheme has increased awareness of heat pumps in general and this tool shows exactly what a heat pump can do for almost any building,” explained John Kellett, General Manager of the company’s Heating Systems. “By extending the range of devices that our selection tool can be used on, as well as increasing the functionality to include ground and water source applications on non-domestic situations, we are helping people to make an informed decision.”
 
The App is now available for both Android phones and tablets via Google Play, in addition to iPhones via the App Store, as well as continuing on the iPad and the web.
 
Under the non-domestic RHI scheme the owner of a building receives regular payments for every kWh of renewable heat they use, if generated by a ground, water or air source heat pump. Tariffs are available for air source heat pumps at 2.5p/kWh and ground source heat pumps at a Tier 1 rate of 8.7p/kWh and Tier 2 rate of 2.6 p/kWh. Tier 1 is paid for the first 1,314 full-load equivalent hours, and Tier 2 for all remaining output.
 
Homeowners get regular RHI payments for seven years whilst businesses will receive payments for the next 20 years. These can amount to quarterly cheques for hundreds if not thousands of pounds and help make the case for heat pumps much stronger, especially against traditional fossil fuel heating.
 
“We’ve already had a huge level of interest in our selection tool because it is so easy to use and helps show exactly what a heat pump can do for our customers,” added Kellett.  “This extension will help bring the benefits to an even wider audience.”
 
The market-leading Ecodan range offers capacities from 4kW to 960kW with either air source or ground/water source options available. Mitsubishi Electric has also designed Ecodan to work on its own or with existing gas or oil boilers as a fully controllable hybrid system.