The Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham, U.K., is replacing its gas-fired boilers and F-gas chillers with four ammonia (R717)-based heat pump-chiller units from GEA as part of a £15 million energy centre project. The new system is expected to reduce the hospital’s CO2 emissions by 43% and provide both heating and cooling, including for local buildings via a district heating network.

The installation will occur in two phases, starting with two units providing 4MW of heating and 2.88MW of cooling, followed by additional capacity in phase two. The system incorporates dry air coolers and 64 boreholes for heat extraction, delivering hot water at temperatures up to 85°C. It also allows for flexible operation by recovering waste heat from cooling for heating purposes or storing excess heat for later use.

The project, funded by the U.K. government’s Public Sector Decarbonization Scheme, is part of a broader effort to upgrade QMC’s infrastructure, including double-glazing windows to enhance thermal efficiency. This initiative supports the hospital’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 under a 15-year partnership with energy provider E.ON.

GEA highlights ammonia heat pumps as a key solution for decarbonizing heating and cooling systems, with the potential to efficiently electrify heat while reducing energy consumption. The company is involved in similar projects across Europe and emphasizes the importance of sector coupling to optimize energy use and reduce electricity costs.