World first: Cooll demonstrates first hydrogen-powered heat pump for home heating

6 February 2025

On many fronts, the Netherlands is leading the way in developing hydrogen applications. Proof of this is provided by a world first: the first non-industrial hydrogen-powered heat pump is a reality. This brings efficient hydrogen heating a step closer and makes its application a real possibility for end users. Energiefonds Overijssel, one of the funds managed by StartGreen Capital, has been participating in Cooll since 2019.

Green hydrogen on gas

This milestone opens a new route to sustainable heating by using renewable fuels such as green hydrogen more efficiently. Compared to a high-efficiency boiler, 30 to 40% less fuel is needed to heat a home. Natural gas can still be used in the transition period, which already leads to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions immediately. After switching to green gas, an efficient CO2-neutral heating solution is created.

Testing at EnTrance in Groningen

To validate the operation of the hydrogen heat pump, Cooll expanded its lab facilities in Hengelo with hydrogen test rigs. After initial testing in its own labs, the heat pump was installed at Entrance's HEAT House in Groningen, a leading research centre in hydrogen applications. Various outdoor conditions and heat demand scenarios have since been tested under realistic conditions. The results show that the year-round performance of the hydrogen heat pump is comparable to that of the natural gas variant. Meanwhile, the heat pump has successfully run on hydrogen for a month.

Successful cooperation

This world first was achieved through a successful collaboration between the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO), Cooll, GasTerra and Entrance in Groningen. It builds on cooperation with the University of Twente and European Space Agency, among others. The core technology is also currently being used for vibration-free cooling in the Einstein Telescope. It shows that the Netherlands is a key player in the development of sustainable thermodynamic innovations.

Gerard Martinus, energy transition manager at GasTerra notes:

"Unlocking multiple routes to sustainability has been a key goal for GasTerra. With this, we are laying the foundation for a new development of the gas market in the Netherlands, which has been crucial for the welfare growth of the Netherlands. With the development of this technology, we are creating options for the difficult-to-sustain market in the non-industrial sector."

Johannes Burger, technology director and co-founder of Cooll states:

"It is clear that the heating market needs alternatives as the electricity market and grid become increasingly gridlocked. The successful demonstration highlights the potential of hydrogen and other green gases as an alternative energy source for residential heating." He added: "We highlight the need for multiple parallel routes to make our heating demand more sustainable. The H2-ready heat pump gives perspective for the future while at the same time being one of the routes to reduce our natural gas consumption in the short term. In the longer term, the existing gas grid can be used to switch to green gases such as biogas, green hydrogen or synthetic gas."

An efficient and versatile technology

Cooll's adsorption heat pump is a monoblock heat pump that can be installed indoors. The system works very efficiently with high-temperature radiators, making it suitable for the vast majority of difficult-to-sustain homes. By replacing the boiler, this heat pump reduces gas consumption and CO2 emissions by 30-40%, without increasing electricity consumption. Moreover, the heat pump is silent and can be installed in one day.

Combined with high-temperature radiators, the technology can even deliver higher CO2 and energy savings than electric and hybrid heat pumps. This makes it an attractive choice for homeowners who want to reduce their carbon footprint without making major modifications to their homes.

About Cooll

Cooll Sustainable Energy Solutions (Hengelo) is a spin-off from the University of Twente. The company grew out of the development of innovative cooling systems, including in projects for ESA. In 2025, Cooll will take the first steps towards mass production of its adsorption heat pump to enable market introduction in the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK.

Expert blog: innovations essential for successful energy transition

At this blog by Radboud Dood (Investment Manager Energiefonds Overijssel), you can read more about why energy innovations like Cooll are important for the energy transition.

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