providing information

providing information, and influencing and promoting system R&D. The results have paid off for both the company and the Swedish customers. Deregulation of the energy sector has resulted in retail electricity prices dropping considerably since 1997. Consequently, utility profits decreased and utilities were forced to consider new strategies, focusing on core business and carefully choosing new product areas. As the Swedish market is mature now, heat pump market support is less crucial.
Today heat pumps in Sweden are mainly used in the process industry (160 MW thermal), for district heating (7 TWh thermal annually) and in the residential sector (6 TWh thermal annually). Around 75% of the residential heat pumps are groundcoupled. The Swedish heat pump heating market stands out in Europe on a per capita basis (40 heat pumps per 1000 inhabitants). This success is the result of several factors, but the main explanation is the concerted approach by government, manufacturers, utilities and end-users/owners. As Vattenfall puts it: Having a healthy technical economic potential is not enough; (customer) acceptance and penetration power is as important