Gas prices rises spark interest in renewable energy and Ground Source Heat Pumps

It was recently announced that British Gas has increased its prices by a massive 35%:  the single biggest rise in price ever recorded in history.  This is a shock after the French supplier EDF alarmed the public with its 22% gas price rise, which was considered too much at the time.

Fuel poverty will undoubtedly increase, and this winter will be a testing time for many homeowners.

Some consumers have taken the decision to sign up to “cap” their energy costs, locking them into a deal with their supplier, but others are shopping around to see how else they can afford to heat their homes and obtain hot water.

Two options for central heating and hot water supply are ground source heat pumps (GSHP) and air source heat pumps (ASHP).  These provide energy at a lower cost, making them an efficient way to heat and power a home and a way to save money on fuel bills in the long term.  Here are some simple explanations on how these different pumps work:

Ground Source Heat Pumps

Ground source heat pumps transfer heat from the ground into a building to provide heating and in some cases hot water. They are the most energy efficient means of heating, ventilating and air conditioning a domestic property.  They can be used to provide most, if not all of a home’s heating and domestic hot water, and are popular for under floor heating because the heat pumps produce hot water to a lower temperature than the usual boiler systems.

Ground source heat pumps work by circulating water through buried pipes, which absorb the heat from underground (which, 10m below the surface remains a constant 10 - 14°C). 

The advantages

•   Low running costs
•   Reduces heating bills
•   High reliability & low maintenance (no exposure to weather)
•   No boiler / fuel tank / flue or ventilation requirements
•   Long life expectancy (generally 20-25 years)
•   No pollution

Air Source Heat Pumps

Air source heat pumps draw heat from the air outside, raising its temperature using a process parallel to refrigeration, but in reverse. (i.e. the air which is expelled is warm, not cold). 

The advantages

•   Takes up a relatively small amount of space
•   Reduced pump installation costs - minimal ground work to be done
•   No need to store fuel (or pay for it up front)
•   Runs on electricity: ideal for urban homes with emissions restrictions
•   Ideal for rural locations with no mains gas
•   A pump can lower energy consumption for heating by up to 50%
•   (when working efficiently and compared to conventional heating systems).

Specialist renewable energy contractor, PH Jones Ltd has been installing ground source heat pumps and air source heat pumps for over eight years.  For further information and advice on renewable energy installation in the Liverpool, Manchester, Cheshire, North Wales and Shropshire areas, please complete the online enquiry form.

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