Is this correct? Carbon footprint of heating systems

[Twoshoesnewshoes]

A quick google has told me that UK electricity is approximately 50% renewables.
so, eg running an air source heat pump reduces carbon emissions by up to 50%?
oh I’ve confused myself now.
trying to compare carbon emissions of LPG bio gas vs ASHP!

Yep, uk electricity is currently around 50% renewables. This is why the government is currently pushing heat pumps as a way to reduce emissions. Electricity is much greener than most heating fuels (gas). Hence the push on electric vehicles too.

I’m not sure the 50% reduction is correct though! To work out carbon reductions you would have to know how much lpg you use to heat your property to a comfortable temperature, and convert that to co2 emissions. Then compare this against how much electricity the heat pump would use to heat to a similar temperature, converting the electricity amount to co2.

There are a few websites which give estimates of annual consumption for different heating systems which you could use to get a rough idea of % reduction. Or there are websites which tell you the estimated carbon savings from switching and the impact - I.e. switching would save the same amount of carbon as 4x flights to NY etc.

Thanks @Nearlyspring23 , that makes sense.
im thinking of ashp over LPG bio now as perhaps better to invest in a future system rather than one which will probably be defunct at some point?
the octopus ashp seems to be able to update itself which is promising?

It isn’t quite as simple as that. It isn’t just the carbon created burning LPG or using the electricity. You need to factor in the emissions created during manufacture/generation and distribution. Then do the comparison.

LPG is not going to do well.

Don't forget that the heat pump is a huge amount more efficient. Ours has a coefficient of about 3.5 so for each unit of energy in, we get about 3.5 units of heat out. Gas heating has a coefficient of less than 1 so for each unit of energy in you would get less than 1 unit of heat out....

Ashp can get more heat out of less electricity. So if a regular electric element like a uses 5kw to get water to 50o, the ashp will only need 1kw to do the same. That is why they are so much better than most other forms of heating.

Thanks all.
do you have ashp?
are you happy with them?

Yes, and yes.

Also yes we have one and yes we are happy with it. Very important to get a good installer though, they need to understand what they are doing and not just follow the written guidance.

As long as it is well set up, it ought to be cheaper to run than lpg as well. And a lot less hassle.