“Heat pumps are superior in efficiency to condensing boilers, even if the heat pumps are powered by electricity from a power station burning natural gas.” Not me saying that but the late Prof Sir David MacKay. More in my @CarbonBrief article 👇 interactive.carbonbrief.org/…

Nov 9, 2025 · 9:01 PM UTC

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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Heat pumps perform very poorly once outside temperatures get really low. The colder it gets outside, the less effective the heat transfer capacity. But practical considerations such as this are likely of no concern to bureaucrats and the professors that take money to shill for bureaucrats.
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Roughly the same energy efficiency but a huge difference in capital costs.
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
What did he say about the costs associated in installing one in a draughty Victorian house?
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
1. What efficiency do you assume for a condensing boiler. 2. What efficiency do you assume for a gas turbine generator? Do you consider CCGT units in the generation mix? 3. What are your estimates for transmission and distribution electricity losses?
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Prof Mackay also assumed though that heat pumps would be combined with thermal storage to ensure they mainly used offpeak electricity avoiding increasing peak demand. We're largely not doing that, so switch to heat pumps only would have huge additional grid reinforcemment costs.
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Please state your assumed ambient temp
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Dont do it. They also need yearly maintenance
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Doubt, electricity transportation has huge losses.
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
A professor, in theory...its wonderful. The Ford ecotech engine, the wet belt, so silent, so smooth, so buggered. When the RN type 45 engines were hagiographically described to a group of us, how do you change them? They won't need it.... £billions. Prof, not of this world.
Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Spend 7500 to save 120 a year, no thanks, they don't even work well in cold weather!
Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
With heat pumps and EV's countries Will need more than wind power and solar panels..
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
This is true I'm sure. Also true is that heating an apartment building with a boiler in the basement is cheaper and more efficient still. But then the cost is communal not individual. Less profits. Less equipment to manufacture and maintain, less profits. Green means many things.
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Heat delivered by heat pump? Boost required to deliver domestic hot water? etc.
Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Dont understand diagram. If U do comparision heat pump to gas. Gas wins. £, size, functionality, reliability, response times. Eg UK gas is 7p kwh. Electric mayb 28p. Even if heat pump 400% efficient price match. Response gas is instant water and heating. My hp HR to heat. 200c
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
When it is 50°. Not when it is -50°.
Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Have professor read operation data
Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
In general, yes. But if electricity price is 3x the natural gas price, it needs to be 3x more efficient.
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
This may well be true. But it’s utterly irrelevant if electricity costs 4x gas per kWh
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
By efficiency you mean energy and not money I assume
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Heat pumps work efficiently and effectively up to about -20c , I’ve had 3 for well over a decade , keep them clean and with minimum fuss they are great. I’ve no agenda other than to say this has been my experience with them. All in all , a good investment.
Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
We know that but, most people's life style has heating off in empty house and quick blast on return. Accept house built like thermos flask can hold heat but who lives like that. New house to best standards heat pump is viable. Most houses even with typical botched upgrade aren't
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
It’s a scam…
Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Mire Lies from the Leftards.
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
But I must correct what I’ve said - current electricity / energy prices in the UK make the current heat pump situation not economically viable. With lower prices , heat pumps really are great. So blame Ed Miliband that asshole .
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
They would naturally be more efficient in a strict sense but do they have the capacity to emit the same amount of heat reliably and on-demand throughout the year?
Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Totally against Net Zero and this climate crisis bullshit , but the heat pump argument is not the hill to die on. They work great , give off reliable heat in the winter , cool in the summer , fairly maintenance free and ultimately are cheaper than boilers.
Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
heat pump are trash, last maybe 10 years trouble free if your lucky, vs gas that can go 20 easy with no maintenance, who is pushing this crap ?
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
And when it’s windy in the UK, the running costs of a heat pump are even lower than that of the most efficient gas boiler 🇬🇧 💚☺️
Efficient Gas Boiler and Climate Control Diary @AO7186252340513
Nov 8
Cost, Energy and Comfort Comparison [11 Days | 28 Oct 25 to 7 Nov 25] Heat Pump (Agile) was cheaper by £0.44 (2.5 %) vs Boiler (Tracker), or £3.72 after offsetting £3.28 gas stand. charge (11 d × £0.299)🥇🎉 Prices based on @OctopusEnergy tariffs 💚
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
ok use something else besides gas to get our electricity from seeing as we have forgotten about nuclear maybe they start using coal for winter electricity instead of gas and creating a fund that is designed only to make nuclear power plants for the future.
Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
UK maximum heat load 200GW, so where is the extra 50GW generation to drive them ? Plus another 50GW for EV's and storage to cope with 4 day winter wind droughts ? Cherry picking without understanding what McKay said is blind optimism.
Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
carbon brief😂😂😂 a highly partisan propaganda mouthpiece for the greentard industry f%ck the f$ck off and when you have finished f$cking the f%ck off... THEN RINSE AND F@CKING REPEAT
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
That's pure crap, It takes an average of 7.5 cubic feet of natural gas (7,777.5 Btus) to generate one kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity 3,400 BTUs that same natural gas in a modern furnace 90% efficiency puts 6,999.75 Btus into your home or over 2 times more efficient.
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Compelling analysis-clarity like this is exactly what we need to drive real change in heating. Evidence for heat pump efficiency is a game changer for policy and public understanding.
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
doesn't get around the fact that the expenditure payback is 20 years and it will have worn out in 10
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Replying to @janrosenow @CarbonBrief
Anybody can ask AI the cost. Informing the massive installation cost of a heat pump: a large 4 bed house would cost £3k per year as a heat pump and £2k as gas boiler. Gas is cheaper than electricity for heating. And you’ll be a lot warmer!!
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