Here’s a handy table of every type of heat pump available and the commonly used acronyms when referring to them.
| Type of Heat Pump | Acronym | How it Works | Heat Energy Source |
| Air Source Heat Pump | ASHP | Air source heat pumps extract heat from the air and convert this into warmth that can be used to heat your home. | Air |
| Air to Air Heat Pump | ATA | Air to air heat pumps extract heat from ambient air and deliver heat in the form of warm air. | Air |
| Air to Water Heat Pump | ATW | Air to water heat pumps extract heat energy from the air and use it to increase the temperature of water in a heating system or tank. | Air |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | GSHP | Ground source heat pumps extract heat from the ground for use in domestic heating. | Ground |
| Ground to Water Heat Pump | GTW | Ground to water heat pumps extract heat from a body of water near your property. | Ground |
| Heat Pump | HP | A device that uses electrical energy to extract heat from ambient air and transfer this heat into useful thermal energy in a heating system or hot water system. | Air, Ground, Geothermal, Water |
| Hybrid Heat Pump | No official acronym | A heat pump combined with a traditional fossil fuel system, like a gas boiler or oil boiler. The oil or gas system is usually only needed in colder climates when temperatures drop and remain low for a long period. | Air, Ground, Geothermal, Water, Gas, Electricity |
| Hydronic Heat Pump | No official acronym | Hydronic heat pumps deliver extracted heat to water based systems from air, ground or water heat sources. | Air, ground or water |
| Water to Water Heat Pump | WTW | Water to water systems deliver heat to a water system that has been extracted from a body of water. | Water |
| Water Source Heat Pump | WSHP | Water source heat pumps require a body of water to extract heat from for use in domestic or commercial properties. | Water |
| Geothermal Heat Pump | GHPs | A heat pump that extracts heat energy from the earth through buried pipes or loops to provide heat for your property. | Ground, water, Geothermal sources |
| Absorption Heat Pump | AHP | A heat pump that uses an alternative energy source to power a refrigeration cycle. Most absorption heat pumps use natural gas to power their refrigeration cycle but can also use geothermal energy or solar heated water. | Gas, solar heated water, |
Geothermal heating is a term used to describe ground and water heat pumps that extract heat from the ground to pipe it into your home.
Here is what geothermal heating is.
What is a Monobloc Heat Pump?
Monobloc heat pumps are those which contain all of their components in a single unit. This unit is usually stored outside with extracted heat transferred into water that circulates through the device.
Monobloc heat pumps are very similar to air conditioning units in the way they work, which makes them a good consideration if you are looking for a heat pump that offers cooling and ventilation functions too.
This is in contrast to split systems that include both indoor and outdoor units that use refrigerants to transfer heat between the units. Split system heat pumps can only be fitted by F-gas qualified installers because of the additional pipe work needed.
Here is what monobloc heat pumps are.
The Popularity of Different Types of Heat Pumps in the UK
Each type of heat pump has a different level of popularity.
Currently, the most popular heat pumps in the UK are air to water monobloc heat pumps.
Here’s how the market share breaks down by heat pump type in the UK.
| Type of heat pump | % Of Market Share | Value in Million euros |
| Air to Water Monobloc | 69% (24,167) | €43M |
| Air to Water Heat Pumps | 12% (4,051) | €10M |
| Ground and Water | 9% | €15M |
| Air to Water with HRV (heat recovery & ventilation) | 3% (1,130) | €3M |
| Air to Water cylinder integrated DHW | 3% (1,222) | €2M |
| Hybrid | 4% (1,300) | €5M |