In many EU countries that cost difference is a policy failure: > Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Germany. All five countries overtax electricity

In many EU countries that cost difference is a policy failure: > Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Germany. All five countries overtax electricity — in three cases by more than 200% — and undertax oil and fossil gas while not taxing wood use at all. Only in Italy is the tax rate on heating oil close to the value of the environmental costs caused by its use. https://www.raponline.org/knowledge-center/aligning-heating-energy-taxes-levies-europe-climate-goals/ https://www.raponline.org/knowledge-center/aligning-heating-... But going from first principles Renewable Energy Without the Hot Air could run the numbers back when it was written in 2008 and show this was a good move: https://www.withouthotair.com/c21/page_151.shtml https://www.withouthotair.com/c21/page_151.shtml > Let me spell this out. Heat pumps are superior in efficiency to condensing boilers, even if the heat pumps are powered by electricity from a power station burning natural gas.