Published Monday in the scientific journal Joule, the research found that heat pumps are two to three times more efficient than their oil and gas counterparts, specifically in temperatures ranging from 10 C to -20 C.

Oxford study proves heat pumps triumph over fossil fuels in the cold::Published Monday in the scientific journal Joule, the research found that heat pumps are two to three times more efficient than their oil and gas counterparts, specifically in temperatures ranging from 10 C to -20 C.

    • schnokobaer@feddit.deEnglish
      53·
      10 months ago

      People think that’s a killer argument against heat pumps when it absolutely isn’t.

      In that sort of climate you get a hybrid system or just leave your old furnace in as backup. You’ll use the furnace for the couple of days/weeks when it is below -25c/-13f and use the heat pump for the 6 months around that time window and save huge amounts of energy because you only use the heat pump when it’s most efficient. A hybrid system will improve efficiency because it combines the technologies at transition temps while just keeping the old furnace as backup is obviously much cheaper, since you can also get a smaller unit than you normally would because you don’t have to worry about the coldest period.

        • schnokobaer@feddit.deEnglish
          12·
          10 months ago

          Okay, I suppose you wouldn’t do that when replacing and old furnace but rather go for a hybrid system. In Europe loads of people are reacting to hiked gas prices and have perfectly fine furnaces in place that they don’t want to get rid of.

    • ozebb@lemmy.worldEnglish
      261·
      10 months ago

      You might not be totally out of luck:

      • More modern units do pretty well down to -20f.
      • Ground-source systems don’t care about air temps (but are more expensive)
    • Craftkorb@feddit.deEnglish
      223·
      10 months ago

      Which is the absolute minority on that regard, most people live in climates where it doesn’t get that cold.

      • Squids@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        I’d also add that like, for a lot of Scandinavia heat pumps work just fine? Like does America just have some really bad heat pumps or something?

        I think the only reason why you wouldn’t install one here (aside from obvious cost issues) would be if you already have a robust heating system built into your home, like a hot water system. And if that’s the case, you can use the heatpump of the earth - geothermal! Use the power of the earth’s molten core to heat and cool your home!

        (… geothermal isn’t as ubiquitous as I make it sound it’s just, really fucking cool)

        • Zink@programming.devEnglish
          1·
          10 months ago

          Really? Where in the US or Canada do tens of millions if people live with AVERAGE winter lows of -25F?

          Fairbanks AK seems to be widely regarded as the coldest US city, and that is -15F average lows. If I move to Prudhoe Bay on the northern coast of Alaska, then in find the -25F low I’m looking for. 

          A quick search suggests Winnipeg is the coldest major city in Canada, and it doesn’t quite reach -20F average. There are of course some more remote towns that get colder; Canada goes pretty far north.

    • Squids@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      9·
      10 months ago

      Like consistently? Or just one or two days a year? Because I feel like bringing out the electric heaters a few times a year is way better than just giving up and using fossil fuel all the time

      Also I’d mention that heat pumps are super common over here in Scandinavia so I have my doubts that it’s an issue with the medium and not something else. Maybe you guys have like, heat pumps that are more designed for the heat rather than the cold?