Global warming is still an issue that, if not acted upon soon, will lead to irreversible damage to our planet. The BBC recently published a study in which they discovered that the “World now sees twice as many days over 50C”, we’re seeing more extreme weather as a direct result of global warming. According to Dr Friedrike Otto, the associate director of the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford: “The increase can be 100% attributed to the burning of fossil fuels,” (BBC). With this in mind, we think it’s certainly the right time to be thinking about switching to renewable heating. Ground source and air source heat pumps can dramatically reduce your carbon footprint, with the benefit of being able to run on 100% renewable generated electricity, no burning of fossil fuels, and no need to burn wood in fires, which leads to further pollution, a heat pump is the best option when it comes to reversing the negative environmental impact caused over the last two centuries.
What are the environmental benefits of a heat pump?
There are countless environmental benefits in switching to heat pumps, the biggest factor is that by switching to this source of renewable energy, you can reduce your use of fossil fuels by up to 50%. That’s right, you can almost half your use of fossil fuels. If everyone switched to this form of energy, imagine the impact this would have on saving the future of our planet. You may be thinking, but what difference will it make if I switch? In fact, quite a lot. According to Our World in Data, in 2019 the average person in the UK used 25,528 kWh of fossil fuels. To put this into perspective, a TV which consumes 100 watts per hour, if left on continuously for 10 hours uses one kilowatt-hour. So using 25,528 kWh is the equivalent of leaving the TV on for 255,280 hours. There are 8,760 hours in a year.
Here are some other benefits of using a heat pump:
- Safe to use, as no form of combustion is involved, there’s no risk of the emission of potentially harmful gases.
- Save on carbon emissions
- No intermittency in use – other renewable energy sources such as the wind or solar rely on external sources for power generation, whereas heat pumps do not rely on intermittent factors
- Reduction of greenhouse gases
- According to the Ground Source Heat Pump Association “The ground works installed for ground source systems, a major part of the cost, can be expected to last for over 100 years. “
- Can be reversed in summer to provide air conditioning
- Can be powered by 100% renewable generated electricity.
The fact that the heat pump can be used to provide cooling as well as heating is incredibly beneficial when it comes to reducing our use of fossil fuels. Not only are traditional central heating systems redundant in the summer months, but the amount of electricity used to keep our homes cool is huge. Whilst the UK certainly pales in comparison to the USA’s energy usage when it comes to energy usage on air conditioning. In the UK, we mostly use fans to keep our homes cool, which use a fair amount of energy, are loud and not exactly aesthetically pleasing. A heat pump can provide you with cooling during these hotter months, all whilst being powered by renewable energy. This is certainly a wider issue, according to The Guardian, “A nation with 318 million people accounting for just 4.5% of world population consumes more energy for air conditioning than the rest of the world combined. It uses more electricity for cooling than Africa, population 1.1 billion, uses for everything.” These statistics are truly staggering, and it’s evident that we all need to do whatever we can to make a change.
What can you do?
Switching to a heat pump will be a huge step in leading a more sustainable life. Here at Heat Different, we’re committed to creating a more sustainable, greener future. That’s why we’ve just joined the 250 club at Surfers Against Sewage, who tackle the pollution of the UK’s coast. Together, we can make a difference. If you’re interested in getting a Ground Source Heat Pump installation, or an Air Source Heat Pump installation, here at Heat Different we’re expert installers of renewable heating systems. Take the step to reduce your carbon footprint, and be the change you want to see. Why not get a free quote today or give us a call today on 01603 406052 and get a free quote.