Aim: To install greenest and cheapest heating system

Catbells

I'm having some building work done on my 3 bed house later this year.  I can use this opportunity to replace my Potterton gas CH boiler which is over 15 years old - even though it works it probably isn't energy efficient.  I haven't been able to find the Gov grant of £5000 for air source heat pumps which was mentioned last October so have abandoned that idea.   Is a condensing gas boiler the only way forward for me?   I was hoping to become a bit greener but not looking like that's an option.   Thanks.

QrizB

Gas CH is still the cheapest way to heat a property. The title of "greenest" is up for grabs; ASHPs are greener, wood pellet boilers probably are too, or an acre of willow would yield enough wood annually to heat the average home.

https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/fthr/biomass-energy-resources/reference-biomass/facts-figures/potential-yields-of-biofuels-per-ha-pa/

lohr500

Sadly, I think "greenest and cheapest" don't sit well together when it comes to heating systems 
Unless things change any time soon, I think you need to choose one or the other.

ASHP looks less and less attractive to me as the price of electricity sky rockets. 
Biomass seems like hard work unless you have space for an outbuilding and storage for the pellets.

What is your typical annual gas consumption for the existing Potterton gas boiler? Even replacing that with the very latest and most efficient gas boiler could take years to pay back in the interests of being greener   

Reed_Richards

Heat pumps (air source or ground source) are very green because you use 1 kWh of fuel to generate 3+ kWh of heat, on average.  Unfortunately the "fuel" you use to generate the heat is expensive electricity.  You have not been able to find the Government grant of £5000 because it does not start until April!  

maisie_cat

We replaced oil/electric with biomass, we have no gas and decided against other options. It does require somewhere to store pellets but the most we've stored in pellets is around 1300kgs. That takes up less space than you'd think, we use a corner of the conservatory.
In the winter we use 6-7 bags a week, so 3-4 manual fills, and emptying ash/hoovering is 1-4 times a week depending on use.
It's not especially onerous and we get most of the installation costs back over 7 years.

Catbells

I'm 70 and while I like biomass, couldn't start now because of the physical, manual work required.

FreeBear

Pellets can be bulk delivered in a big truck and blown into the storage bins. From there, they can be fed automatically in to the stove - Not a particularly cheap setup, and you do need a lot of space. But if you are quick, the RHI scheme will help to pay for some of the costs (scheme closes at the end of March).

mumf

What is ‘cheap’ now ,can change overnight,depending on political whims and fancy. As for ‘green’,well your guess is as good as mine. Gas is now seen as a ‘transition’ fuel - bridging the gap twixt fossil and ‘renewable’ - and the gas industry want it to be recognised as ‘green’.One way or another , we HAVE to burn something to keep warm ,so there is no perfect situation. I read somewhere that the last person on earth,will cook their last meal on a wood fire. 

QrizB

mumf said:

One way or another , we HAVE to burn something to keep warm ,so there is no perfect situation.

This statement is plainly not true.

I have a tankfull of hot water here, right now, and I didn't burn anything to make it. It was all done by the power of the sun.

The same power of the sun, earlier today, is currently illuminating my household lights and running my son's Xbox.

mumf

QrizB said:

mumf said:

One way or another , we HAVE to burn something to keep warm ,so there is no perfect situation.

This statement is plainly not true.

I have a tankfull of hot water here, right now, and I didn't burn anything to make it. It was all done by the power of the sun.

The same power of the sun, earlier today, is currently illuminating my household lights and running my son's Xbox.

BUT, how are you keeping WARM?

mumf

Also,something had to be burnt to make your solar panels …