ASHP - Godsend or the devils spawn?

[Ric2013]

Cheaper anyhow whatever about COPs, another factor I rarely see mentioned is defrosting which is a significant factor in running costs especially around here with relatively high humidity levels.

Yes, that was a big deal back in the day, which was the main reason one of the engineers (an actual engineer with an engineering degree) at the Centre for Alternative Technology was fairly anti ASHP when we discussed the matter 10 years ago. I looked at some more recent literature and it seems that is less of a problem with modern design.

I suppose the logical thing is that if conditions mean defrosting knocks the COP to less than 1, then you switch to resistive heating.

The point was supposed to be that heat pumps would be used with a very high level of low-carbon electricity and a retro-insulated building stock, but that doesn't seem to be happening. Onshore wind is half the cost of offshore, but a number of counties are very against, so we're paying the price for that.

 

[Last Plumber]

(an actual engineer with an engineering degree)

Does that make you an Engineer?
I know many people with Engineering degrees who could change a tap washer.

 

[RoryD]

I might have a read but The author of the DT article is Ross Clark author of Not Zero: How an Irrational Target Will Impoverish You, Help China (and Won’t Even Save the Planet)

so he has form and motivation for keeping the sceptics sceptical and peddling misinformation.
Some of those on the right think net zero is one big Marxist conspiracy.

Living in a temperate climate the UK has never been that motivated or incentivised to improve the quality of housing stock where most insulation improvement schemes have been half hearted and half baked. That and mostly laissez-faire governments have allowed building standards and therefore costs to builders to be kept low.

@ Ric, yeah I live in an conservation area but enforcement is weak so I just went ahead with externally insulating my place anyway which is solid brick. It was built in the fifties and not particularly well so I had no qualms taking the risk and modernising it.

The author, as you point out, is largely writing from a subjective viewpoint. He hasn't really researched the subject nor spoken with Installers at the "Coal Face" (now there's an analogy for renewables)!

 

[Ric2013]

Does that make you an Engineer?
I know many people with Engineering degrees who could change a tap washer

He was an actual engineer PLUS he had an engineering degree, if that makes my meaning clearer.

 

[RoryD]

He was an actual engineer PLUS he had an engineering degree, if that makes my meaning clearer.

I think the point being made to you is that you are implying is that dealing with Gas and Heat Pumps doesn't constitute an Engineer. I would say it would,if credentials were spread on the table. The length of training undertaken by those who done apprenticeships; advanced training beyond that; and even today with some really demanding courses being offered are all considered to upskilling. I suppose it's a subjective topic, if you feel you are then you are if you don't ... then sobeit

 

[Ben-gee]

The best one to wind my son up, who has spent 5 years doing an Engineering degree, is the “Sky Engineers” who gain this heady title after a couple of weeks training.
They are technicians apparently.

 

[Chuck]

In the UK, 'engineer' is a vague courtesy title that anybody can use.

The engineering institutions have been complaining about this since the 1970s to my personal knowledge and probably before then. Their view seems to be that only their members, i.e. CEng, should be allowed to use the title.

In contexts where it matters, you just have to use a more specific title, e.g. 'fitters', 'technicians', 'instrument makers', 'pattern makers', 'machinists', 'programmers', 'engineering graduates', 'chartered engineers', 'train driver', etc.