Heat generator (building heating)
A heat generator is a system, device or machine element for the production of thermal energy in building heating .
EU regulation
According to EU Regulation No. 813/2013 , Article 2, Paragraph 5, a heat generator produces heat using one or more of the following processes:
"A. Combustion of fossil and / or biomass fuels,
b. Use of the Joule effect in electrical resistance heating elements,
c. Absorption of ambient heat from air, water, soil and / or waste heat. "
Paragraphs 9 to 11 specify the fuels :
"9. Biomass refers to the biodegradable part of products, waste and residues from agriculture with biological origin (including plant and animal substances), forestry and related industries including fishing and aquaculture, as well as the biodegradable part of industrial and municipal waste;
10. Biomass fuel means a gaseous or liquid fuel produced from biomass;
11. fossil fuel means a gaseous or liquid fuel of fossil origin; "
In most cases, it is therefore (a) gas, wood or oil combustion, (b) electric heat using heating resistors and (c) heat pumps .