To offer a sustainable and affordable alternative to the central heating boiler in as many homes as possible. That's what Wilhard Oldengarm wanted when he introduced the HydroTop in 2010, putting an end to large, noisy heat pump units against homes or in gardens. He brought an alternative to the market that is accessible to many people. Some 1,000 HydroTops are now produced each year, delivered mainly through sister company DHPS. That number can still go up considerably.
"Within three years we can be at a production rate of 10,000 units per year," said HydroTop Works (HTW) company manager Jeroen Mulders. An ambition that is not an isolated one. After all, HTW's goal has never been to sell as much as possible, as quickly as possible. The Deventer-based company is all about making an impact, about making a substantial contribution to the energy transition. "The HydroTop is suitable for both new construction and renovation of existing homes," says Mulders.
"Making homes gas-free has started in new construction and now it's the turn of existing homes. That's where the big numbers are, we're talking about millions of homes. With the HydroTop we can and want to make a contribution there."
Affordability has always been an important starting point for HTW. Mulders: "All the sustainable solutions we see - such as solar panels and heat pumps - are expensive. All those costs come back to the resident. We believe that in energy transition we must keep an eye on the end user's wallet. Everyone needs to be warm and comfortable."
HTW supplies two different enclosures with Panasonic heat pumps integrated into them. The HydroCap is an aluminum chimney cap that is installed on the roof. It is prefabricated, looks beautiful thanks to its powder-coated finish and can be installed on both flat and pitched roofs. The HydroTop is a prefabricated in-roof system with an integrated heat pump that protrudes only fifteen centimeters onto the roof.
Mulders: "You see almost nothing of it from the outside. The heat pump itself hangs inside, so you can also do the maintenance entirely from the inside. Rain or shine, you can always access it and don't have to go up on the roof for it." Moreover, the HydroTop - the only one in the market - automatically complies with applicable noise standards. "The product is wildly popular, partly because it can make meters quickly. We installed the HydroTop within fifteen minutes."
The HydroTop and HydroCap are fully recyclable and Dutch products assembled at HTW. "We use industrial processes here, such as vacuum forming and rotational molding. This is not common in construction; it comes from the plastics industry. By working industrially, we can produce in larger quantities." Meanwhile, the product is constantly being developed. "This year we added a fire-resistant addition to the plastic cap, with the toughest qualification in the industry."
Says Mulders, "Our dream is that living and working environments will function as power plants, generating, using, storing, selling and purchasing sustainable energy. With a central platform for control and smart algorithms to optimize energy flows, maintenance and lifespan. We often think of energy transition in terms of shortages, but if we puzzle things out properly, we can generate more than we need. I see ourselves as part of that puzzle." One of the pieces of the puzzle could be a new service: heat as a service.
And then not - as is often seen in the market - as an unfair revenue model where users have to pay an excessive monthly fee, but in a way that makes sustainable heating accessible to everyone. Fair and affordable. Supported by smart software that makes maintenance easier, extends the lifespan and reduces costs for the user.
A challenge in the market today is the shortage of mechanics and installers. In this, too, HTW is eager to make a difference. "To install our prefab solutions, you need fewer hands anyway," says Mulders. "But in addition, both at HTW in Deventer and at DHPS in Hardinxveld-Giessendam and on location at companies, we provide training for fitters and installers. We take them through the latest developments. And there are many: we are in a very fun, exciting time in which more and more is possible. With more and more possibilities in the cloud, smarter and smarter equipment. We see that as an opportunity to accelerate the energy transition. For the environment, for people. Because ultimately it affects everyone. "