Heat Pumps Today

www.acrjournal.uk/heat-pumps 11 H E A T I N G Myth 10 "Heat pumps only work in highly insulated buildings." False. Research says: "Houses do not have to be extensively renovated in order to allow for an installation of a heat pump" https://blog.innovation4e.de/en/2021/02/24/ does-a-house-have-to-be-renovated-first-in- order-to-install-a-heat-pump/ But good fabric efficiency offers energy system benefits and keep costs down. Myth 11 "Turning gas to electricity to heat via a heat pump is less efficient than burning gas in a boiler." False. At SCOP 3 a heat pump even if running 100% on gas electricity needs ~1/3 less gas to make the same amount of heat than a boiler. Heat pumps reduce gas even if they use electricity from 100% gas. Professor Sir David MacKay said this already in 2008: "Heat pumps are superior in efficiency to condensing boilers, even if the heat pumps are powered by electricity from a power station burning natural gas." https://www.withouthotair.com/c21/page_151. shtml Myth 12 “Heat pumps devalue properties.” False. The evidence suggests the opposite. Heat pumps increase the value of properties. “Residences with an air source heat pump enjoy a 4.3–7.1% (or US$10,400– 17,000) price premium on average.” https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-020- 00706-4 Research by Savills shows that homes with heat pumps demand a premium compared to regional averages. https://www.savills.co.uk/insight-and-opinion/ savills-news/327804-0/buyers-paying- significantly-more-for-homes-with-low- carbon-technology--as-energy-prices-rise Myth 13 "Heat pumps are unaffordable." Partially true. But many countries offer subsidies for heat pumps & with running costs included heat pumps can offer lifetime savings over fossil fuel systems. But it depends on the country. Some examples in this report by the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP): https://www.raponline.org/knowledge-center/ taking-burn-out-of-heating-low-income- households/ Myth 14 "The grid cannot cope with heat pumps." Partially true. In many places there is capacity in the grid to supply electricity for more heat pumps. But with significant heat pump uptake electricity demand will grow and grid investment is needed. https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/ news/industry-european-electricity-grid-can- handle-50-million-heat-pumps/ Myth 15 "Heat pumps are the only low carbon solution for heating." False. Better fabric efficiency and district heating are very important too and can offer large system benefits in terms of flexibility and system benefits as our research shows: https://www.raponline.org/knowledge-center/ heating-without-hot-air-principles-smart-heat- electrification/ Myth 16 "Heat pumps cannot be installed in small apartments." False. There are projects where tower blocks use ground source heat pumps for example from Kensa Heat Pumps. And large heat pumps can fuel district heating networks connecting apartments. https://www.kensacontracting.com/heating- highrise/ Myth 17 "Heat pumps will just run on fossil fuel electricity." False. It is true that most power grids still include a lot of fossil generation. But every year substantial amounts of renewables are added to the grid driving out fossil generation. https://www.energymonitor.ai/tech/ electrification/electrification-using-more-to- emit-less/ Myth 18 "You will freeze during a power cut and be better off with a gas boiler." It is true that during a power cut heat pumps cannot function. But the same is the case for a gas boiler. https://mcrgas.co.uk/how-a-power-cut-affects- your-boiler/#:~:text=Both%20boiler%20 and%20gas%20central%20heating%20 systems%20require%20electricity%20to%20 become%20functional Myth 19 "There is no consumer demand for heat pumps." False. 2022 saw record growth in heat pump sales in Europe as our piece in Carbon Brief shows and in the US for the first time more than 4m heat pumps were sold surpassing gas furnaces for the first time. https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-how- the-energy-crisis-is-boosting-heat-pumps-in- europe/