British electricity reached a “green record” over the Easter weekend, with the carbon emissions factor for electricity dropping to just 39 grams of carbon dioxide per unit of electricity, which is a record low. This is a glimpse into the future normal for British electricity, and puts into sharp focus the potential for heat pumps to help decarbonise heating in the UK.
How Was This Possible?
Windy and sunny weather over the weekend, coupled with a low demand for electricity, meant that zero carbon power sources made up nearly 80% of total generation at points over the weekend. Wind power made up 39% of the energy mix, with solar at 21% and nuclear accounting for 16%.
Whilst this represents a record for now, we anticipate that this will become normal in the future as more and more zero carbon power sources come online. Furthermore, the increased deployment of smart battery storage plants means that zero carbon power can be stored, and put back into the grid at times of higher demand.
How Green Were Heat Pumps This Weekend?
Heat pumps use electricity to move heat from a renewable source: the ground in the case of ground source heat pumps; the air in the case of air source heat pumps. For every unit of electricity consumer, heat pumps deliver between 3 - 4 units of useful heat into the home.
This means that at the greenest point of electricity generation over the weekend - 39gCO2/unit - heat pumps were delivering heat with a carbon footprint of just 10gCO2 per unit of heat. That is a remarkably low number.
In contrast, mains gas has a carbon emissions factor of around 210gCO2/unit. When you then factor in the typical 80% efficiency of a boiler, that means a boiler delivers heat into the home with a carbon footprint of over 260gCO2 per unit of heat.
To put those two figures into context, that means at times of the Easter weekend, heat pumps were 96% cleaner than mains gas boilers! Amazing.
Switch To A Heat Pump Today
Heat pumps genuinely are the future of heating homes in Britain. Over the next 10 years, green electricity like this will be the new normal. Beyond 10 years, electricity will be completely zero carbon, which means that heat pumps are the best and most efficiency way of delivering clean heating.
If you want to reduce your carbon footprint, then switching your old boiler for a heat pump is one of the best changes you can make in your home. Get in touch today to find out more