Electric vs Gas Heaters - Which Is Best?
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Efficiency and Carbon Emissions of Different Heating Systems
When you’re choosing a heating system it’s not always obvious which is the most efficient and sustainable system. Unfortunately, information is often obscured or left out by the retailers/manufacturers to make the system they want to sell you look better.
Efficiency of Gas vs Electric Heaters
The least efficient form of heating is simple electric heating e.g. a radiant electric heater, or column or convection heater.
Heaters where the energy from the electricity is “burnt” or used directly to produce the heat produce approx. 3.5 to 4 times as much carbon emissions as the same unit of heating produced with gas.
This is an average figure based on a typical power station mix that will apply to most consumers. Some countries or regions may vary significantly from this e.g. if they have extensive hydro electric power generation. The actual figure for an individual power station depends on the type e.g. whether its coal, oil, or gas powered.
The carbon emissions for the electricity are created during the initial generation of the electricity e.g. by burning coal, oil, or gas to power the turbines and generators.
Efficient Electric heaters
There is a much more efficient way to deliver heating electrically by using reverse cycle air conditioners and heat pumps. Essentially, these devices use the electrical energy to move heat from one place to another as opposed to “burning” it to directly produce the heat.
For example when a reverse cycle air conditioner or and heat pump is heating a room it I sextracting het fromth eair outside and transporting it into your room.
Look For The "COP"
You can find out how efficient a reverse cycle air conditioner or heat pump is by looking for its “coefficient of performance” or COP. This usually ranges from 1.5 to 4.5 and the higher the COP is, the more efficient the heater is.
If the heater has a COP of 4 or more then every unit of heat it produces creates the same carbon emissions as gas heating.
Note: Many older air conditioners will have a low COP and/or won’t be marked with a COP.
Renewable Electricity Sources
Renewable electricity sources include hydro electric, solar, wind turbines, hot rocks etc.
This means that the electricity generation process doesn’t require the burning of energy to create electricity.
