Energy Efficient and Renewable Heating

What is the Greenest way to heat your home? Part 4: ground source heat pumps

Ethical Consumer has been the leading organisation in the UK offering assessments of the environmental and green credentials of companies. Following research into ground source heat pumps, Ethical Consumer has produced a guide to the most efficient models including their companies overall impact on the environment.

Installing a ground source heat pump entitles you to apply for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) grant which is available to households and businesses that replace existing heating systems for renewable energy sources.

How much money can I save by installing ground source heat pumps?

Ground source heat pumps offer a renewable energy solution to producing hot water for your home. You should be aware that although the heat provided is free of charge, you will also need to use electricity to pump the heat into your home.

Before deciding to install a ground source heat pump, you should consider the Coefficient of Performance (COP) measurement that applies to your home.

A typical installation of a ground source heat pump will cost between £9,000 and £17,000. The system will also require a maintenance servicing every 3 to 5 years by an accredited installer. Once the system has been installed, you should find an annual saving of £70 per year compared to a condensing gas boiler. You will also make a CO2 saving of 750 kg per year with an estimated RHI grant of £1,250.

What is the Coefficient of Performance (COP) measurement?

The performance of ground source heat pumps is measured by a Coefficient of Performance (COP) unit.The COP measurement compares the amount of heat produced by the heat pump with the amount of electricity required to create it. The lower the amount of electricity used in the production of ground source heat, the more efficient the pump.

A basic measurement of COP is that to get 3 units of heat, you use 1 unit of electricity. This is measured as a COP of 3.

Which companies provide the most environmentally friendly heating systems for ground source heat pumps?

Of the 17 companies assessed in the report, the following results demonstrate which offer the more green solutions to renewable energy systems.

The top five companies for providing environmentally friendly ground source heat pumps are as follows:

MasterTherm ground source heat pump13.5
Waterkotte Heat Pump13
Calorex Ground Source Heat Pumps12
Nibe ground source heat pump12

The bottom five companies for providing environmentally friendly ground source heat pumps are as follows:

You can view the complete report by subscribing to Ethical Consumer.

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