Air Source Heat Pumps not the cost effective solution for home heating

Following on from the recent press coverage, and the Radio 4 interview with Lord Haughey, about the poor performance of heat pumps when compared to gas boilers This should be no surprise.

Gas counts for a large amount of our electricity generating mix still upto 45% (when the wind does not blow). To use gas to make electricity is no more than 33% efficient. Gas being one of the highest price production methods therefore dictates the price of Electricity. To then run this electricity through an air source heat pump with a reasonable COP of between 2 and 2.5. Using Gas to produce electricity and then to produce heat is somthing like 82.5% efficient.

Alternatively using electricity generate by Gas at 33% efficiency and then applying that electricity to an electric boiler with a COP of 1 gives a comparable efficiency of approx 34%

However taking gas directly and burning it through an efficient Boiler is 95% efficient.

The price of electricity is calculated from the most expensive method used in the mix to supply the grid. Currently that is Gas. So the price of gas directly impacts the price of electricity.

Until Gas ceases to dictate the price of Electricity, Air Source Heat Pumps will lack the cost effectiveness to be come the solution for home heating.

The Uk Government has stated the National Grid will supply electricity from clean power only by 2035. It looks like we have to wait until 2035 for the start of the Heat Pump Revolution.

For more information on Air Source Heat Pumps not the cost effective solution for home heating talk to Refcool Refrigeration Ltd