Comparison of swimming pools alternative passive and active heating systems based on renewable energy sources in Southern Europe

This article examines different passive and active heating systems for swimming pools. The passive systems introduced in this article are: * The swimming pools' enclosure. * The placement of floating insulating covers on the pools' surfaces whenever they are not used. The examined active systems in this article are: * A biomass heater. * A biomass heater and solar collectors combi-system. * Vertical geothermal heat exchangers (GHE) co-operating with geothermal heat pumps (GHP). The methodology employed for the introduced systems' evaluation is the arithmetic computational simulation of the swimming pools' annual heating, using annual time series of averaged hourly values for the available solar radiation and the calculated pools' thermal power demand (heating loads). The dimensioning of the active systems aims at the maximisation of the heating production from R.E.S. (renewable energy sources). and the optimisation of the corresponding investments' economic indexes. The examined systems are evaluated technically and economically versus fundamental criteria. It is proved that significant reduction of the heating loads is achieved with the introduced passive systems. The reduced swimming pools' heating loads can be successfully covered by the proposed R.E.S. active systems. The fossil fuels consumption is eliminated. The corresponding investments' payback periods can be lower than 5 years. •The passive solar systems reduce the swimming pools heating loads more than 90%.•The examined active heating system exhibit payback periods lower than 3.5 years.•The energy saving is maximised with a biomass heater – solar collectors system.•Single biomass heaters exhibits the shortest payback period.•GHE–GHP can be used in cases of low solar radiation and lack of biomass fuels.