Hybrid Boiler vs Heat Pump: What’s the Difference?
Terri Hickman, Marketing Communications Manager, Intergas Heating Solutions, makes the case for heat pumps and hybrid boiler systems in the race to install low-carbon technologies.
Given that 17% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions come from our buildings, it’s essential that the UK transitions from fossil fuels to low-carbon heating as soon as practicable. The heating industry is well placed to effect change and we need to take decisive action in combatting climate change. At Intergas, we believe that heat pumps are part of the decarbonisation solution. They are on the market, and eligible for government-funded installation and training grants.
Heat pumps offer a highly efficient process, using heat from the air or ground to warm our houses, which will protect owners from the rising cost of energy prices. Heat pumps are gaining in popularity in the UK and awareness of the technology and its benefits is becoming more mainstream.
Growing Demand for Heat Pumps in Europe
According to the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA), growth has been exponential. In 2022, annual heat pump sales increased by almost 38%, and this was after the previous year’s exceptional rise of 34%. The total number of connected heat pumps in Europe is now around 20 million, providing heating to about 16% of Europe’s residential and commercial buildings.
Norway and Sweden have led the way: Norway has just over one million heat pumps installed which run on almost 100% renewable electricity and Sweden, with more than half its electricity supplied by hydropower, wind power and biofuels, has two million. In countries like Poland, Czechia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Germany and Finland, the heat pump market has experienced exponential growth in 2021, between 100% for Poland and 66% for Belgium.
Even though uptake of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) was lower than targeted, the UK market has also performed spectacularly well, with a 40% increase in heat pump sales
Decarbonising Home Heating Options
Intergas has been specialising in low-carbon technologies for decades and believes the heat pump is one of the best long-term solutions to combating climate change and the rising cost of energy. With the current economic conditions and the insulation levels of some of our homes, one solution can’t fit all, which is why our hybrid heating system is the practical alternative for today.
Hybrid Heating: How does it work?
In a hybrid heating system, the home has both an air source heat pump and a boiler fitted in the same system. The heat pump will heat the home for most of the year, and the boiler will provide heat and hot water during the weeks when external temperatures drop. With Intergas boilers condensing close to 100% of the time in hot water mode, it is the perfect partner for a high-yielding CoP heat pump and will ensure heat and hot water during the worst of winters. Here at Intergas, we have a solution appropriate for the UK, which has been proven to cut up to 82.5% of natural gas consumption in a year-on-year comparison in real-world conditions, in real-world homes, saving consumers real cash.
What Is the Difference Between a Hybrid Boiler System and a Heat Pump?
An air source heat pump uses high-powered fans to draw air into the system. The air reaches a coiled pipe filled with refrigeration fluid, which is cold enough to draw ambient heat from the air, even in winter. This fluid warms up and evaporates. The pump pulls the vapour into a compressor, which generates heat by pressurising the vapour. This high-pressure, high-temperature liquid is used to heat water in a plate heat exchanger. This water is either stored in a hot water tank for later use or is distributed to radiators to heat the building.
A hybrid boiler system integrates a heat pump into a typical combi boiler system so you have the option of heating with gas or the pump. The linked combi boiler can heat water, removing the need for a hot water tank, while the central heating is run by the heat pump. The boiler can also take over during extremely cold weather, when heat pumps would use more electricity to generate heat.
A Hybrid Heating Comparison
When we compare hybrid and heat pump costs, we consider that UK electricity prices are almost four times higher than gas prices per unit. Research from Energy Systems Catapult has shown that when the weather drops below 7°C, electricity usage in homes with heat pumps jumps by up to 10kWh per day. This can have a big impact on heating costs in the winter, making people unlikely to opt for heat pumps alone.
When a hybrid system is installed, people have the option and the opportunity to shift away from gas usage for most of the year, but they can still use this faster, more affordable heating method when they need to. Widespread adoption of hybrid heating will also lessen the impact of heat pump adoption on the electricity distribution network during cold snaps.
Benefits of Hybrid Boiler vs Heat Pump
Cheaper Installation Costs
In your hybrid heating cost comparison, consider the savings on the initial installation costs. Because hybrids can heat water to the same temperature as existing systems, there’s no need to retrofit the radiators (assuming the radiators were correctly sized in the first place), making the installation less disruptive and more affordable.
Lower CO2 Emissions
Hybrid heating systems won’t cut emissions completely, but they will reduce gas consumption by between 60% – 82.5%.
Be Prepared for Future Innovation
Hybrids will also ease the transition to a 100% renewable option. When the infrastructure is in place, Intergas’ hydrogen-ready boiler can replace the existing boiler.
Gas Installers Prefer Hybrid
Going hybrid has the support of most gas installers. In a GasApp research study conducted this February (2023), 74% said they’d rather fit a hybrid heating system in their own homes when given the choice between an air source heat pump, ground source heat pump, electric boiler or hybrid. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) is on side too. The CCC has stated that to meet the 2050 target, the UK will need to install 19 million heat pumps and hybrid heat pumps should be widely used by 2035.
At Intergas, we believe incentivising hybrid installations would provide the catalyst to the UK’s uptake of heat pumps, and we can’t really afford to wait. Given the triple threat of climate change, our ageing housing stock and the rising cost of living, we need to recognise that heat pumps are only part of the equation for decarbonising our homes. What we need now is more choice and balance to deliver the solution, which is what Intergas’s hybrid heating system provides.
Heat pumps, powered by low‐emissions electricity, are the central technology in the global transition to secure and sustainable heating.
Currently available heat pumps are between three and five times more energy efficient than natural gas boilers. They reduce households’ exposure to fossil fuel price spikes, which is all the more urgent due to the ongoing global energy crisis. Over one‐sixth of global natural gas demand is for heating in buildings – in the European Union, this number is one‐third.
Many heat pumps can provide cooling, too, which eliminates the need for a separate air conditioner for the 2.6 billion people who live in regions that will require heating and cooling by 2050. Heating in buildings is responsible for 4 gigatonnes (Gt) of CO2 emissions annually – 10% of global emissions, according to International Energy Agency data.
Installing heat pumps instead of fossil‐fuel‐based boilers significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions in all major heating markets, even with the current electricity generation mix – an advantage that will increase further as electricity systems decarbonise.
FAQs: Hybrid Boilers Vs Heat Pumps
Are hybrid heating systems eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)?
The UK Government’s boiler upgrade scheme does not provide funding for a hybrid heat pump system, as it is designed to encourage full decarbonisation.
Can landlords or housing associations install hybrids under BUS funding?
While Intergas Heating is more than happy to support landlords and housing associations, the BUS funding grants do not currently cater for hybrid heating for new build developments, or hybrid heating for housing associations.
The BUS funding system is for private individuals only, and developers cannot access this funding.
How does installer training differ between hybrid and full heat pump systems?
Installers should be adequately trained in both hybrid and heat pump systems to provide a full range of options. We run CPD-accredited training days that are 100% free, led by experts and providing hands-on experience. Training includes:
- Intergas boiler installation course for confident installation, servicing and troubleshooting of our boilers
- Air source heat pump course days to master every stage of Xceed installation
- Renewable hybrid heating training to install the most flexible home heating systems
All training is delivered by MSC-approved experts.
How do hybrids help homeowners prepare for net-zero heating?
Hybrid heating is a compromise position, adding an air source heat pump to existing central heating systems, without removing the boiler. When more efficient, carbon-neutral boilers (such as hydrogen boilers) are more available, the infrastructure to have one of these fitted remains. Homeowners also have the option to switch on the boiler during extremely cold weather for a cheaper, faster heating option. Find out more about what hybrid heat pumps are.
Is a hybrid cheaper to install than a full air-source heat pump?
In many cases, yes. The cost of hybrid air source heat pumps in the UK is typically between £2,500 and £5,000, far lower than installing a heat pump alone. This depends on whether the existing boiler needs replacing, the complexity of the site and any additional work such as upgrading insulation or radiators
