Do Air Source Heat Pumps Count as Renewable Energy?

If you’re looking to improve your household’s carbon footprint, then changing over from fossil fuels to renewable energy is a necessity. You could choose to switch from a gas boiler to an air source heat pump, but do they count as renewable energy?

In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about air source heat pumps and their renewable energy credentials.

Are air source heat pumps classed as renewable energy?

The short answer is – yes! Air source heat pumps extract heat from the air outside and use this to generate heating throughout your home, as well as providing hot water for your taps, showers and radiators, depending on the type of pump.

In comparison, gas boilers have an incredibly damaging impact on the environment, as they release heat-trapping carbon emissions which, in turn, lead to global warming. A recent study has shown that the millions of gas boilers in UK homes contribute twice as many CO2 emissions as all the UK’s gas-fired power stations combined, further highlighting the need to switch to renewable energy sources.

How do air source heat pumps generate renewable energy?

Once the air source heat pump has extracted the heat from outside your home, this then warms a refrigerant liquid within the pump, transforming it into a gas. The vapour then passes through a compressor, where the pressure is increased, generating more heat.

Finally, the hot gas is passed through into a heat exchanger. Here, depending on the type of heat pump, the gas will heat up either the cold water or air surrounding it. In the case of an air to water pump, this will heat water for taps and radiators, but for air-to-air pumps, it will purely be heating the air (in a similar way to air conditioning).

Running on electricity

However, this process of warming and pressurising the refrigerant takes energy, meaning air source heat pumps need to be plugged into the mains electricity. You might be wondering how they could be classed as renewable energy if they require power to work?

Due to their reliance on electricity, air source heat pumps are not entirely renewable, but they are still far more energy efficient than gas boilers. This is because of their high co-efficient of performance (COP), which is a measurement of how efficient a boiler is based on the ratio of useful heat produced to the amount of energy used.

On average, air source heat pumps have a COP of 2.5 to 3. This means they can produce the same amount of heat as a gas boiler on about a third of the energy, reducing the environmental impact, as well as your costs!

Ready to switch to renewable energy?

With soaring heating costs and an looming climate crisis, there’s never been a better time to make a switch to renewable energy through an air source heat pump.

Fully MCS-certified, COA Services install energy-efficient air source heat pumps across the Leeds and Harrogate area. We’ll guide you through the entire process, from advising you on the best model for your property to completing your installation.

To get the ball rolling with a free, no-obligation quote, send us an email via [email protected] or give us a call on 01423 408 336.