Hydrogen Boilers Vs Heat Pumps

Disadvantages of Hydrogen Boilers

Disadvantages of Heat Pumps

·      Production of hydrogen is expensive –
Unfortunately the costs involved of with increasing the production of hydrogen to a sufficient level in order to consider switching over from the gas network are currently too high to make this a viable option, therefore the current process of mass-producing hydrogen would need to be reviewed in order to make this more economical.

·      The current hydrogen production processes releases carbon – The use of Hydrogen boilers is not fully eco-friendly due to the current production process of Hydrogen.

·      Hydrogen storage is more complicated than gas – Due to the differences in flammability and composition, the storage of hydrogen gases is more complex.

·      Costs are a little unknown – As the technology is not available yet for homeowners and businesses, the costs of a hydrogen boiler and the ongoing running costs are an unknown entity at present.

·      The Installation of a heat pump is expensive – Complete installation of a heat pump can cost anywhere between £8,000 and £45,000 depending on the type of heat pump suitable for the property and the size.

·      Running costs are not as low as expected – Unfortunately the running costs of a heat pump are not as economical as some homeowners may have hoped due to the cost of electricity and that often heat pumps are not the most effective heating system and therefore use a lot of electric when in operation.

·      Reliability and performance of heat pumps is often not as expected – Many homeowners do not find the reliability and performance of installed heat pumps acceptable, with one consequence often being higher energy usage as the system is turned up to produce a more comfortable temperature or is used more frequently, also increasing household utility bills.

Advantages of Hydrogen Boilers

Advantages of Heat Pumps

·      Resourcefully utilising current mains infrastructure - Should the UK government take the plunge to switch over from Gas to Hydrogen, the mains gas supply network could be used to transport hydrogen to businesses and homes alike requiring minimal changes to the infrastructure. 

·      Hydrogen is a more efficient fuel than Gas – The composition of hydrogen contains more energy than found in gas and therefore less hydrogen would be required to heat a home.  This also aids the pressure on the network when demand is high as the use of hydrogen could supply more homes compared with gas.  In addition, the pressure from renewable electric sources during peak times could be eased by the use of hydrogen.

·      Lower Carbon emissions – Hydrogen boilers do not omit carbon and therefore are an eco-friendlier option.

·      Hydrogen can be stored in large volumes and supply can be ramped up easily – The larger stocks and increased ramp rate could help during times of high energy demand as well as being held for future demand to help the network manage supply. 

·      Maintenance of heat pumps is Low – There is less maintenance to undertake with a heat pump compared with other types of boilers and therefore with some research, the homeowner may be able to undertake this themselves.

·      The heat pump life expectancy is long – The average life expectancy of a heat pump is between 14 and 15 years, however some models could safely be maintained for up to 50 years.

·      Eligible for Government Grants – The costs of installing a new heat pump system could be supported by a government grant; either the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme or the Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme for business properties.