ASSOCIATION NEWS
HEAT PUMP PERFORMANCE Dr Kinnane also questioned if enough research has gone into the operational performance of heat pumps at a time when there is a massive scaling up of their use. The lecturer has studied the performance of heat pumps in research funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and found that they are much less efficient than manufacturers claim. At OFTEC we have consistently said that heat pumps are an excellent technology when used in a thermally efficient home but given the age and condition of many rural homes across the island, we believe a switch to a biofuel would be a much easier and cost-effective option. Plus, it
promotes massive carbon savings now, instead of in ten years. We were also pleased to hear Ireland’s Environment, Climate and Communications Minister Eamon Ryan recently say that all options to decarbonise the heating and cooling sectors are under consideration. This is a welcome move as, in previous discussions with the Department, biofuels were only being considered for transport. If the Irish government is indeed serious about exploring a just transition to alternative heating options, then advanced, synthetic and biofuels must be included. Switching to vegetable-based liquid
fuels, such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is much easier and cheaper than other renewable energy alternatives, including air-source heat pumps. We calculate the average price of adapting an oil boiler to run on HVO is about €500, while carbon emissions from HVO are c.87% less than kerosene. Helping Ireland’s homeowners move away from fossil fuels is a much more complex task than rolling out a one- size-fits-all approach. OFTEC wants to play a constructive role in this debate, and we will continue to lobby for cost-effective solutions that help us meet targets without piling on debt to those who can ill afford it.
David Blevings, OFTEC Ireland Manager on T: +44 (0)28 9186 2916 E: dblevings@oftec.org Sean McBride, Ireland Representative on T: +44 (0)7540 502 304 (NI) or +353 (0)87 241 7041 (RoI) www.oftec.org
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