Everyone is taking part in the the current trend called The 10 Year Challenge, so we thought why not do that with heat pumps. Read on to see how heat pumps have changed over the last 10 years and why there is even more of a reason to install them in years to come.
The Technology
Firstly, let’s take a look at how the technology has changed. In truth, not too much has changed technology-wise. As we often reiterate to our customers, heat pumps are a well-proven, long-established technology that has been used for decades in the Nordic countries. There have been improvements to certain individual components, however the fundamental principle remains the same, that heat pumps generate around 3 - 4 units of heat for each unit of electricity consumed.
Ground Source Heat Pumps - IVT Greenline
IVT Greenline HT+ Ground Source Heat Pump - 2009
IVT Greenline HE Ground Source Heat Pump - 2019
The key differences are:
Newer aesthetic design
More user-friendly controls
Capability for online monitoring
Low energy, high-efficiency circulation pumps enabling greater coefficient of performance
Air Source Heat Pumps - Mitsubishi Ecodan
Mitsubishi Ecodan 8.5kW Air Source Heat Pump - 2009
Mitsubishi Ecodan Ultra Quiet 8.5kW Air Source Heat Pump - 2019
The key differences are:
Modern aesthetic design
Significant improvement in noise level. The noise levels for an 8.5kW Ecodan have decreased from 48dBA to 45dBA sound pressure level at 1m in 2019.
More user-friendly controls, with the FTC2 in 2009 now upgraded to the FTC5 controller
Capability for online monitoring
Heat Pump Government Incentives
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)
The biggest change for heat pumps over the last 10 years is most definitely the introduction of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The RHI was introduced to promote the adoption of both ground source heat pumps and air source heat pumps. Below is a table which shows how much the RHI Tariffs have increased over recent years.
| Technology | RHI Tariff Feb 2009 | RHI Tariff Feb 2014 | RHI Tariff Feb 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground Source Heat Pump | 0.00 p/kWh | 18.80 p/kWh | 20.46 p/kWh |
| Air Source Heat Pump | 0.00 p/kWh | 7.30 p/kWh | 10.49 p/kWh |
Worked Example:
For your typical 4-bedroom house with an annual heating and hot water requirement of 20,000 kWh, the annual RHI payments are as follows:
| Technology | Annual RHI Payment | 7-Year Total RHI |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Source Heat Pump | £2,923 | £20,461 |
| Air Source Heat Pump | £1,499 | £10,493 |
Table showing RHI payments based on current tariffs
The RHI is scheduled to continue until at least March 2021 so act now to claim this generous incentive and get paid to heat your home.
Heating Oil Prices
Finally, we can’t really talk about heat pumps without mentioning oil prices! It is an understatement to say that oil prices fluctuate. 10 years ago, in February 2009 the average oil price was around 35p per litre. At the time of writing, the price of oil is approximately 48p per litre. The peak price in between that time was over 65p per litre!
UK Heating Oil Price Feb-2009 to Feb-2019
Based on the price today, an 80% efficient boiler will cost 6.0p/kWh of delivered heat. For your typical 4-bedroom house with an annual heating and hot water requirement of 20,000 kWh, this will cost £1,200 per annum on heating.
A heat pump will completely replace your existing boiler, and operates using electricity, meaning no more annoying fuel deliveries! A heat pump works by moving heat from one place to another - rather than creating heat by burning fuel - and as such they are very efficient. Typically, a ground or air source heat pump will generate around 3.5 units of heat for each unit of electricity consumed. At the time of writing, the average British Gas unit price of electricity is 12.5p/kWh. This means for the same property described above, the total cost will be £714 per annum.
BASED ON THESE FIGURES, A HEAT PUMP IS 41% CHEAPER TO RUN THAN HEATING OIL
GET IN TOUCH
And don’t spend the next 10 years burning expensive fossil fuels to heat your home.