Alternative low-carbon heating options include biomass boilers, electric panel heaters, electric boilers and electric radiant heaters. Solar thermal systems can provide free energy, but rely on clear skies and daylight, so they are less suited to winter heating.
How heat pumps compare:
- Electric boiler: heat pumps use less electricity but have higher installation costs.
- Biomass boiler: heat pumps should be cheaper to install and don’t require deliveries, but running costs depend on comparing electricity costs with biomass fuel costs.
- Electric panel heaters: heat pumps are more efficient but panel heaters are cheaper and easier to install.
- Electric radiant heating: comparison is difficult because heat pumps are a form of space heating which heat the air. In contrast, radiant heaters heat people and surfaces in line of sight. The energy required for space heating depends on the insulation, air tightness, and hours of system use. The energy required for radiant heating depends only on the hours of use. If you know that your existing radiant heaters use 10kWh of electricity in an evening, heat pumps might use less on a warm evening and more on a cold evening.
