A solar heat pump wastes minimal energy to heat or cool a home. It is an alternative to air conditioning and furnaces. Instead of generating heat, this system simply relocates it. During the summer, heat is moved out of an area to cool it down. The opposite action is performed during winter to heat up a space. Here are the advantages of choosing a solar heat pump system over standard options: •Emissions - By using solar energy for water heating as opposed to oil or coal, a solar heat pump greatly reduces CO2 emissions. •Low running costs - These systems have very low running costs and few maintenance costs. •Installation - It is easy to install. •Power - One can be used where only a small amount of power is available. •Size - Solar heat pumps can be used to heat homes as well as large buildings. •Solar energy and air - Solar energy is the main heat source for a solar heat pump, but the surrounding air also plays a role. Both of these come from an inexhaustible supply. •Low solar radiation - The pump continues working even while solar radiation is quite low. They can operate in overcast conditions and at night. Source: solarhome.org
Source:
http://www.solarhome.org/solarheatpump.html