Kensa, the UK’s leading ground source heat pump manufacturer and provider of networked heat pump solutions, welcomes new government-backed research confirming ground source heat pumps are the most efficient form of heating, and significantly more efficient than gas boilers.
The In-Situ Heat Pump Performance report, which examined heat pump performance shows:
- Ground source heat pumps are on average 324% efficient
- Air source heat pumps are on average 265% efficient
Energy System’s Catapult also published its Electrification of Heat Report, which showed that air-source heat pumps are, on average, 281% efficient. These efficiencies compare with an average 82.5% efficiency of gas boilers found by a previous government-backed in-situ study.
This new data highlights the superior efficiencies of heat pumps and demonstrates the major energy and carbon savings they offer over other heating technologies. Even with major disparities between electricity and gas prices, the efficiencies of heat pumps detailed in the reports also mean ground source heat pumps can provide notable energy bill savings when switching from gas and other traditional heating technologies.
The Electrification of Heat Report also highlights the high-performance levels of ground source heat pumps even at subzero temperatures in the depths of winter. This illustrates the important role ground source can play in managing grid capacity issues as heat pumps are installed in millions of homes across the UK.
Commenting on the findings Tamsin Lishman, Kensa CEO, said:
This new research shows beyond doubt that heat pumps are the most efficient way of heating homes, three to four times more efficient than gas boilers. As a manufacturer and installer of ground source heat pumps, it’s pleasing to see real-world data confirming the technology is the most efficient heating technology available, over 40% more efficient even than air source heat pumps.
Importantly, the report shows ground source heat pumps perform well even when temperatures drop below zero, meaning reduced electricity demand and less pressure on the grid. This is a critical finding for how we achieve the mass roll-out of heat pumps, with millions of homes poised to switch to electrified heating.
However, even with these efficiencies today’s energy prices still mean it’s only slightly cheaper to run a heat pump than a gas boiler in a typical British home. At a time when we need to be weening ourselves off fossil fuels, it doesn’t make sense that electricity is still four times the price of gas. It’s critical the government acts now to remove the levies artificially pushing up the price of electricity.
Combine the continually improving efficiencies of heat pumps with lower power prices, and we’ll see the significant real-world savings consumers can make by switching to low-carbon heating. With this and ending the installation of gas boilers in new homes, the government can normalise heat pumps in UK homes and kick start the transition to clean affordable heat.
