ACHR NEWS Editorial Staff

WEST SENECA, N.Y. — Terravis Energy Inc., a subsidiary of Worksport Ltd., has completed a prototype of a cold-climate, air-source heat pump that is intended for use in the residential market, and has begun testing it in a climate chamber at Worksport’s Toronto facility.

The company’s testing chamber conducts extensive cold-weather trials during product development. For the heat pump, Terravis executes detailed tests that monitor performance across 12 ambient temperature points, from 14°F to -31°F, a press release from Terravis said. These tests include checking four refrigerant pressure zones, airflow, and the energy consumption of each component.

The goal is to optimize the heat pump’s efficiency and performance at various temperatures, the company said. Plans are in place to expand the testing to include its cooling capabilities at higher temperatures.

“We are engaged in this rigorous and severe testing protocol because Terravis’s mission is to offer a zero-emission residential heat pump that sets new standards in cold-weather performance,” said Terravis Energy CEO Lorenzo Rossi. “Our heat pump’s goal is to provide heat to homes in as low -31°F, which we believe will make us the most effective heat-pump technology in the market.”

To lower emissions, many localities are banning the future installation of gas-fueled stoves and furnaces and propane heating appliances. Terravis expects this development to create a new large market that will require the use of climate-friendly appliances, such as the Terravis Heat Pump, in new residential construction, the company said.