Why you should be using an Air Source Heat Pump
Green energy has progressed from niche to mainstream in the United Kingdom, with renewable energy now accounting for over half of all electricity generated. However, about 90% of our household energy consumption is still carbon-sourced. The majority of this is taken up by our central heating which is currently predominately powered by gas or another form of fossil fuel.
This year however we should start to see a real change in the landscape of the UK’s domestic heating.
How does an Air Source Heat Pump work?
Heat pumps transfer heat from the outside of a building to the inside (like air conditioners but heating instead of cooling). The fact that they employ power to transport heat rather than generate it contributes to their energy efficiency.
Even when the outside temperature is well below 0°C, there is plenty of heat to be removed – remember, absolute zero is -273°C – therefore there is enough energy that can be extracted.
As a result, heat pumps are effective in all climates. As you may already know, Heat Pumps of all kinds are commonplaces in many countries, such as Norway and other parts of Scandinavia. However, they are currently a less common sight in the UK because, in the past, Heat Pumps have been only thought of as a bespoke system, or a pipe dream, because of there being so so little demand for them and, therefore infrastructure in the sector.
The future of heating in the UK…
Now that the Governments Renewable Heat Incentive (a scheme to compensate UK homeowners to replace their fossil fuel heating systems with Heat Pumps) is drawing to a close in March this year (2022) and with the government announcements on banning gas boilers in UK homes, orders are streaming in throughout the country for installations of Air Source Heat Pumps.
These orders have also been spurred on by the massive increase in natural gas prices in 2021. Also, Green electricity will be less expensive than natural gas as a result of changes in energy tax policies.
There are some people that would argue that our national electric grid could not support the rapidly increasing numbers of Air Source Heat Pumps being installed. However, Heat Pumps are actually brilliant in managing their electricity load and are all “smart grid ready” and smartphone-controlled. Air Source Heat Pumps are an excellent technique to save money on electricity by utilising spare capacity and shifting load.
There are so many ways that Air Source Heat Pumps will benefit domestic residents as well as the UK as a whole, both economically and environmentally.
