6 ms·

> that heat is being generated less efficiently than a purpose-built device. “efficiency” is meaningless when heat is desired. if you pump 100W into a device,

> that heat is being generated less efficiently than a purpose-built device. “efficiency” is meaningless when heat is desired. if you pump 100W into a device, and it “wastes” all that power, you have successfully generated 100W of heat. only heat pumps can be more efficient.

hristov 7y ago
"only heat pumps can be more efficient" Exactly. And if you have a whole house/apartment electric heating system it is very likely that it is in fact heat pump based. So you are better off using that for heat than the lights. If your whole house/apartment heating system is gas or oil based, that will probably be even cheaper than the heat pump electric version.
- ubercow13 7y ago
  >if you have a whole house/apartment electric heating system it is very likely that it is in fact heat pump based Hmm, where? I have never knowingly been in a house with a heat pump in the UK, and lots of cheaper flats have electric radiators and immersion heaters.
- BlueTemplar 7y ago
  Finite fossil fuels... which might not even be "environmentally cheaper" in the long run...
tomatocracy 7y ago
This is true but - especially if your house is not well insulated - getting heat in the right place matters too - most people don't need to heat their roofs or ceiling spaces. There's also a more minor point on time of day you want heat or not.
- BlueTemplar 7y ago
  Well, hot air tends to rise anyway. Anyway, my point is that the inefficiency lost to "waste heat" is not 100% waste.
tonyedgecombe 7y ago
Although heating with gas will produce different amounts of CO2 than heating with electricity.
quietbritishjim 7y ago
Not quite – some energy was lost converting from its source form to electricity. If you heat your house by directly burning natural gas (the most common way in cool countries like the UK) then it can still have an efficiency advantage over converting electricity to heat.
- BlueTemplar 7y ago
  The fossil fuel infrastructure (even disregarding extraction), is not zero cost either.
TheCoelacanth 7y ago
The only thing that can be more efficient is one of the most common forms of heating devices. During the summer, it's also extra inefficient to pump 100W into a device producing heat and then pump even more power somewhere else to cool down the room.
- BlueTemplar 7y ago
  There's a lot more people that use heating than cooling (in Western countries at least).

hristov 7y ago

"only heat pumps can be more efficient" Exactly. And if you have a whole house/apartment electric heating system it is very likely that it is in fact heat pump based. So you are better off using that for heat than the lights. If your whole house/apartment heating system is gas or oil based, that will probably be even cheaper than the heat pump electric version.

ubercow13 7y ago
>if you have a whole house/apartment electric heating system it is very likely that it is in fact heat pump based Hmm, where? I have never knowingly been in a house with a heat pump in the UK, and lots of cheaper flats have electric radiators and immersion heaters.
BlueTemplar 7y ago
Finite fossil fuels... which might not even be "environmentally cheaper" in the long run...

tomatocracy 7y ago

This is true but - especially if your house is not well insulated - getting heat in the right place matters too - most people don't need to heat their roofs or ceiling spaces. There's also a more minor point on time of day you want heat or not.

BlueTemplar 7y ago
Well, hot air tends to rise anyway. Anyway, my point is that the inefficiency lost to "waste heat" is not 100% waste.

tonyedgecombe 7y ago

Although heating with gas will produce different amounts of CO2 than heating with electricity.

quietbritishjim 7y ago

Not quite – some energy was lost converting from its source form to electricity. If you heat your house by directly burning natural gas (the most common way in cool countries like the UK) then it can still have an efficiency advantage over converting electricity to heat.

BlueTemplar 7y ago
The fossil fuel infrastructure (even disregarding extraction), is not zero cost either.

TheCoelacanth 7y ago

The only thing that can be more efficient is one of the most common forms of heating devices. During the summer, it's also extra inefficient to pump 100W into a device producing heat and then pump even more power somewhere else to cool down the room.

BlueTemplar 7y ago
There's a lot more people that use heating than cooling (in Western countries at least).