Climate change has become today’s biggest environmental challenge and decarbonization is one of the main solutions to address it. To achieve this, the energy sector plays a key role. There are different alternatives to fossil fuels and one of them, as surprising as it may seem to you, is already found in most of our homes.
Heating systems powered by natural gas, far from being an obstacle, are an opportunity to undertake the decarbonization of the energy consumption of the entire residential park in Spain. Maybe you didn’t know it, but with your home’s boiler you can contribute to the conservation of the environment. Below, we tell you everything you need to know to understand in depth the advantages of heating your home with this system:
Is it true that gas boilers are going to be banned?
Fake. The new European energy efficiency directive does not determine in any case the prohibition of boilers or their mandatory replacement by heat pumps. Given the publication of some erroneous or inaccurate information on this matter, the Spanish Gas Association (Sedigas) denies such statements and defends that this measure would cause the opposite effect to that desired. “A possible ban on gas boilers would have an adverse effect on the energy transition, given the difficulties of some households in accessing other less expensive heating options and because they require technical specifications and an availability of space that is not usual in the Spanish homes,” they warn.
Why is the gas boiler a sustainable heating system?
High-efficiency condensing boilers are a technology perfectly compatible with renewable gases such as biomethane, which today is already being injected into Spain’s gas network. And, furthermore, they do not require additional adaptations and investments.
The type of equipment, both gas boiler and heat pump, does not give the “green color” to a technological solution. “The renewable nature of the heating system is determined by the energy that powers it,” they say.
The gas boilers currently available in our homes are already suitable for the use of renewable gases.
Can my boiler run on renewable gases, such as biomethane and hydrogen?
The gas boilers currently available in our homes are already suitable for the use of renewable gases such as biomethane and with up to 20% renewable hydrogen. Specifically, biomethane is positioned as one of the best options for the decarbonization of the residential building stock in the European Union because it does not require any type of adaptation – neither of the gas infrastructure nor of transportation or distribution to our homes -, and It is also 100% compatible with the equipment that we already have installed in our homes.
Biomethane is a reality and is circulating through the gas network, also in Spain. Without going any further, a report prepared by Sedigas and PwC states that the biomethane production capacity is 163 TWh/year, a figure that would cover around 50% of the total national demand for natural gas or, in other words, The same, more than three times the real consumption of all homes in our country.
Regarding hydrogen, the Spanish gas network is already prepared to accept the circulation of up to 20% of this energy vector together with conventional natural gas.
What is a high efficiency condensing boiler?
Condensing boilers are efficient and economical equipment that contribute to the decarbonization of buildings, since, today, they are compatible with renewable gases. Among its main advantages, in addition to the reduction of emissions, is the reduction of energy consumption by 30% compared to conventional boilers, which also translates into savings on the bill.
Additionally, they are silent because they use very low power to operate. These are devices that are suitable for any type of home, both new and old, large or small, thus promoting the circular economy and a fair energy transition.
In fact, as Sedigas points out, condensing boilers, combined with the promotion of the potential development in Spain of renewable gases, are positioned as the most economically efficient alternative with the greatest probability of success to accelerate the decarbonization of energy consumption. of Homes in our country.
Heating systems are an opportunity to measure carbonization.
Can my boiler be zero emissions?
As we have mentioned previously, the high-efficiency condensing boilers that are currently being installed can use renewable gases for their operation, thus making them net-zero CO₂ emissions equipment and an accessible and real solution for the fight against global warming. global . On the other hand, condensing boilers also reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 70% compared to conventional boilers, by working at low temperatures, which results in better air quality in our cities.
Is it very expensive to install a sustainable heating system at home?
The cost of installing a high-efficiency condensing boiler is lower than installing a heat pump and an aerothermal system. According to Sedigas, the price is close to 1,500 euros and the purchase of the boiler is amortized “in a few months.”
In contrast, the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) has estimated the cost of aerothermal heat pumps in a range between 3,600 and 12,700 euros, to which must be added the cost of the installation, estimated between 2,000 and 8,000 euros ( plus VAT). In short, the complete purchase and installation of these systems can exceed 20,000 euros, that is, the average annual rent for a home in Spain (approximately).
At a general level, if both alternatives are compared, replacing boilers with heat pumps would cost 201,314 million euros, which is equivalent to double public spending on Health.
Can a high-efficiency condensing boiler be installed in any home?
Unlike what happens with aerothermal energy, which is generally only suitable for homes with a minimum surface area of 105 square meters, a condensing boiler can be installed in any home and even in the same place where the old one was located. . , without the need to do any work or leave the home during its installation, and with a minimal investment.
“Boilers are suitable for all cases and are a priority in buildings of less than 105 square meters, low incomes and renovations,” highlights the association. In fact, heat pumps can be a very suitable solution for high-rent areas and single-family homes such as northern European countries. On the contrary, in Spain 70% of homes are found in multi-dwelling buildings.
For example, according to Sedigas, installing a heat pump in the kitchen of a 75-square-meter home would force you to do without other essential appliances, such as a refrigerator or a ceramic hob, due to space issues.
MADE BY ALAYANS STUDIOThis content has been created by ALAYANS STUDIO, Henneo’s Branded Content unit.
