[Han_EONNext]

Hey Community-ers 🤠

How is everyone getting on?

I've just came across this article 👉 Energy Efficiency Costs and I wondered what everyone's take on it was? It brought me back to our conversation on boilers when our lovely @meldrewreborn was in the market for one!

I do see both sides, much to ponder 🤔.

What do we think?

[WizzyWigg]

@Han_EONNext

If you haven't had chance to read @P962c Air Source Heat Pump thread, I would highly recommend it. The pros cons and costing.

It may be possible to get a unit for £3000, as long as you are entitled to the £5000 grant! I would question whether that would take into account insulation, possible radiator replacement, possible piping changes, redecorating, etc etc.

https://community.eonnext.com/thread...ll=1#post36615

[meldrewreborn]

@Han_EONNext

It lovely @meldrewreborn here! So this survey tells us that most of the general population doesn't have a clue about energy costs, insulation costs and cost effective upgrades to homes. Of course if the household is renting they have little choice or involvement in the decisions. Even owner occupier of a leasehold flat don't have the ability to make many desirable changes, even if they wished to. I'm always wary of surveys like this because of the false premise that all of the population should know this stuff - its a fallacy.

Those home owners (a dubious phrase when many have large mortgages so really are only part owners) who pay attention to their bills for energy and take active steps to reduce them (like almost all of our top contributors) are very much in the minority. And when there is so much uncertainty about installing electric heat pumps (under the current EPC regime they would probably lead to a worse rating than the same property with a gas boiler) its not surprising that many are not eager to install them - particularly when electricity is almost 5 times the unit price of gas.

As in my own case, even moving from a 35 year old gas boiler to a new more efficient condensing gas boiler isn't worth it in financial terms, so people will stick to what they have until the boiler expires due to non availability of spare parts. Then and only then will a decision on replacement have to be made. In the future electric heat pumps might be the only option (the decision on a cut off date is still in the air).

We are continuously reminded that there's a cost of living crisis. Many will not even consider home upgrades to cut running costs at the moment, and those that are more comfortable will only consider changes when they're pushed - and even then many really don't understand all the issues.

[Han_EONNext]

@meldrewreborn I couldn't agree more really, until I started working for E.ON Next I didn't have a scooby about anything to do with energy efficiency (embarrassing really, so don't bring it up again 🙈). I knew that a few people had solar panels but boiler types, heat pumps and installation was just not my thing! Alongside the Cost Of Living crisis (which I absolutely do think has more of an impact than we think!) its just the lack of energy information really.

I've got hope 🤞 for those that a currently in education - I know that now we actively talk about energy saving and solutions in lessons.

[meldrewreborn]

@Han_EONNext
In almost every instance the information is out there and easily accessible IF (and its a really big IF) people really want to research it. And then once they've got the information they then need to make a decision on whether the item in question is what they want, whether its what they need, and whether its affordable. And then go for it - or not. For the reasons I set out earlier, the right decision at the moment for the vast majority is to do nothing.

Of course some people will be so environmentally conscious that they'll go as fully renewable/clean energy as possible irrespective of the cost. They will be very much in the minority.