# Ambient heat

Low-temperature heat held in air, ground and water, mostly from the Sun.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_ambient/

Natural sources · Solar-derived flows · No. 9

- Natural sources
- Origin: Indirect solar
- Renewable: Yes
 Natural sources · Solar-derived flows · Foundation · Energy

Even freezing air holds heat: a heat pump can deliver three to four units of warmth for each unit of electricity.

Chart: Illustration: Ambient heat

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Air, soil and water hold low-grade heat, almost all absorbed sunlight; a heat pump uses electricity to move it indoors rather than making heat.

##### Three things to know

1. Europe sold about 2.3 million heat pumps in 2024 across 19 countries, after a 22% fall from 2023.
2. Cold-climate heat pumps still reach an efficiency above 1.5 near -30 °C, up to double plain electric heating.
3. In 2025 Germany saw heat pumps outsell gas boilers for the first time.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Sunlight**Warms air, shallow ground and water
2. 2 **Ambient heat**Too cool to use directly
3. 3 **Heat pump**Electricity lifts the heat to useful temperatures
4. 4 **Warm homes**Space heating, hot water, also cooling
 Covered in [Using energy: food, materials, mobility and buildingsEnergy](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/energy/using-energy/)[Efficiency, waste heat and recoveryEnergy](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/energy/efficiency-and-recovery/)

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## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_ambient/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_ambient/correlation/index.md)
- [How energy resides](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_ambient/resides/index.md)
- [Abundance](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_ambient/abundance/index.md)
- [Fluctuation in time](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_ambient/time/index.md)
- [Across the Earth](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_ambient/geography/index.md)
- [Impact on nature](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_ambient/nature/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_ambient/links/index.md)