Gas v Electric Combi Boiler

QrizB

Petriix said:

The standing charge is indeed an important (but relatively small) part of the calculation. We're pretty frugal with our heating, using ~ 7,500kWh per year in gas (including cooking on the gas hob). That currently costs £450 at 6p per kWh.

A slightly more efficient electric combi boiler might use more like 6,000kWh but, at 25p per kWh, that would cost £1,500. So, you'd be spending an extra £1,050 on energy to save £110 on standing charges.

Most people use significantly more energy to heat their homes so the costs would be higher still. It is possible to shift usage into a cheaper window on E7 or similar so some of the extra cost could be mitigated, but a heat pump would be a third of the cost to run. 

Using Petriix's numbers, a heat pump with a COP of 3 (which should be fairly easy to achieve) could supply 6000kWh for £500.

That's less than the £555 cost of 7500kWh of gas (£450) plus standing charge (£105).

Petriix

QrizB said:

Petriix said:

The standing charge is indeed an important (but relatively small) part of the calculation. We're pretty frugal with our heating, using ~ 7,500kWh per year in gas (including cooking on the gas hob). That currently costs £450 at 6p per kWh.

A slightly more efficient electric combi boiler might use more like 6,000kWh but, at 25p per kWh, that would cost £1,500. So, you'd be spending an extra £1,050 on energy to save £110 on standing charges.

Most people use significantly more energy to heat their homes so the costs would be higher still. It is possible to shift usage into a cheaper window on E7 or similar so some of the extra cost could be mitigated, but a heat pump would be a third of the cost to run. 

Using Petriix's numbers, a heat pump with a COP of 3 (which should be fairly easy to achieve) could supply 6000kWh for £500.

That's less than the £555 cost of 7500kWh of gas (£450) plus standing charge (£105).

And, on a time of use tariff or coupled with a home battery, costs could be reduced further.