Octopus Heat Pumps

QrizB

Spies said:

So looking at the vaillant arotherm, the COP according to spec is between 3 and 4, my gas is 4p a unit, so who is paying 12-16p for their electric for this to give price parity?

The Tracker electricity customers are.

(Tracker electricity is typically 3-4x more expensive per kWh than Tracker gas. You also have to allow for your gasboiler having a COP of ~0.9.)

MultiFuelBurner

QrizB said:

Spies said:

So looking at the vaillant arotherm, the COP according to spec is between 3 and 4, my gas is 4p a unit, so who is paying 12-16p for their electric for this to give price parity?

The Tracker electricity customers are.

(Tracker electricity is typically 3-4x more expensive per kWh than Tracker gas. You also have to allow for your gasboiler having a COP of ~0.9.)

To add to this

@spies you will also save over £100 not having to pay the standing charge on the gas supply. (Some suppliers disconnect your gas supply for free)

Once you start adding it all up it may well still just be cheaper with a gas boiler but only just and it's this misunderstanding of how close the figures are and posts like yours that muddy the waters imo.

Lest we not forget this is the green and ethical board so emissions will also be reduced using an ASHP over gas by 67%+ going by the average mix for electricity production.

michaels

Re Octopus Surveys
Got an email from Octopus 2 days ago talking about recruitment - sounded like the only way I would get a survey was to sign up as a surveyor...
Then got a call yesterday asking about my availability for the next few months as they were planning surveyor visits - or alternatively it was a clever scam to find out which days they could think about burgling my house....

MultiFuelBurner

2+2=49251473

Spies

MultiFuelBurner said:

QrizB said:

Spies said:

So looking at the vaillant arotherm, the COP according to spec is between 3 and 4, my gas is 4p a unit, so who is paying 12-16p for their electric for this to give price parity?

The Tracker electricity customers are.

(Tracker electricity is typically 3-4x more expensive per kWh than Tracker gas. You also have to allow for your gasboiler having a COP of ~0.9.)

To add to this

@spies you will also save over £100 not having to pay the standing charge on the gas supply. (Some suppliers disconnect your gas supply for free)

Once you start adding it all up it may well still just be cheaper with a gas boiler but only just and it's this misunderstanding of how close the figures are and posts like yours that muddy the waters imo.

Lest we not forget this is the green and ethical board so emissions will also be reduced using an ASHP over gas by 67%+ going by the average mix for electricity production.

Yes let's spend more money I don't have, my hob is gas, I have no spare ways in my CU and electricians I've asked in the past about that just want to replace the CU at great expense.

My radiators will need oversizing as well so the grant won't cover it all and there isn't a suitable ground location for a whacking great big heat pump with its requirements to have a meter spare in front of it. 

Im a very eco person, (solar, EV, vegetarian, recycle as much as possible etc) but this whole situation is stupid

QrizB

Spies said:

Yes let's spend more money I don't have, my hob is gas, I have no spare ways in my CU and electricians I've asked in the past about that just want to replace the CU at great expense.

You could get a free quote from Octopus if you're curious about what it would cost:

https://octopus.energy/get-a-heat-pump/

Some people have reported £500 quotes, but when I asked they said £2700. Still not a bad price, and as my gas boiler is old enough to vote I might take them up if it fails.

Screwdriva

QrizB said:

Some people have reported £500 quotes, but when I asked they said £2700. Still not a bad price, and as my gas boiler is old enough to vote I might take them up if it fails.

The cost to replace a gas boiler today hovers around £3K all inclusive for a relatively simple Worcester Bosch 4000. If a new heat pump, cylinder and radiators are installed for that price, it's a great deal. 

paul991

I know this is  not octopus but this might help   https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/podcast/article-12984177/You-bag-10k-heat-pump-discount-tempt-one-Money-podcast.html?mrn_rm=rta

MultiFuelBurner

Spies said:

MultiFuelBurner said:

QrizB said:

Spies said:

So looking at the vaillant arotherm, the COP according to spec is between 3 and 4, my gas is 4p a unit, so who is paying 12-16p for their electric for this to give price parity?

The Tracker electricity customers are.

(Tracker electricity is typically 3-4x more expensive per kWh than Tracker gas. You also have to allow for your gasboiler having a COP of ~0.9.)

To add to this

@spies you will also save over £100 not having to pay the standing charge on the gas supply. (Some suppliers disconnect your gas supply for free)

Once you start adding it all up it may well still just be cheaper with a gas boiler but only just and it's this misunderstanding of how close the figures are and posts like yours that muddy the waters imo.

Lest we not forget this is the green and ethical board so emissions will also be reduced using an ASHP over gas by 67%+ going by the average mix for electricity production.

Yes let's spend more money I don't have, my hob is gas, I have no spare ways in my CU and electricians I've asked in the past about that just want to replace the CU at great expense.

My radiators will need oversizing as well so the grant won't cover it all and there isn't a suitable ground location for a whacking great big heat pump with its requirements to have a meter spare in front of it. 

Im a very eco person, (solar, EV, vegetarian, recycle as much as possible etc) but this whole situation is stupid

Spies you came here bashing heat pumps and their cost to run.

That's what people have responded to. They have pointed out the tide has turned and they are now compared to gas very close on running costs with the added "green credentials" the newest heat pumps are likely to turn all costs including running in the favour of electric.

Now we have some more info on your particular issues with heat pumps I can now add.

It's not the purpose of the grant to cover all your costs (it may for some) but again for most the additional you have to pay will unlikely come out to be more than a decent new gas boiler. (Not a cheap crap one)

As others have said get some quotes for when the time comes and keep an eye on any changes to the grant and be ready to make the greener leap.

Now here comes the spanner in the works

As you are on tracker that has to be taken into the calculation. Octopus have dropped a stinker in my opinion with the new tracker formula. As far as early calculations show the way they have calculated gas and electricity on the new formula means electricity is much closer to 4.5x more expensive than gas than the historic 4x more expensive (region depending)..I have to congratulate Octopus on this spectacular oversight and that has to come into your decision making.

It probably means the nail in the coffin for your green move.

Reed_Richards

QrizB said:

Some people have reported £500 quotes, but when I asked they said £2700. Still not a bad price, and as my gas boiler is old enough to vote I might take them up if it fails.

What seems to be fairly well established on this thread is that you can face a long wait between getting your first quote and the start of your heat pump installation.  Unless it's the middle of summer, this isn't a time when you want to be without any form of heating.  Waiting until your old boiler fails is probably not a good strategy.