Pousada-Praia do Forte: pioneer using Heat Pump in tropics to heat water

Heat pumps are already widely used in Europe and the USA. However, astoundingly enough, heat pumps are not used here in the tropics to heat water. And it would be so efficient. Remember that in Europe your ambient temperature of the energy source is often around 0°C. But here in the tropics, the ambient air temperature is mostly around 27 to 30°C and maybe minimal 25°C during the winter month. And we do not have to heat the water up to high levels, maybe only up 45° to 55°C. These are ideal conditions for a heat pump.

Estimated Coefficient of Performance (COP) in tropical climate

The calculated Coefficient of Performance (COP) is around 9, which means that with every single kWh of electricity 8 kWh of heat is generated using energy from the ambient to heat the hot water supply of our Pousada-Praia do Forte. This may be better than solar which normally requires an electric back up system. Porto da Lua has solar heater with a heat pump back up system. More environmental friendly would only be the cold shower!

Hotel Porto da Lua has done the pioneering step and installed a heat pump, maybe the first one in Bahia, but for absolute sure the first heat pump in Praia do Forte.