3 ms·
Your solution is penny wise and pound foolish. Using heat pumps will save you enormous amounts of energy overall, even though your appliances look superficially
by schiffern 14y ago
Your solution is penny wise and pound foolish. Using heat pumps will save you enormous amounts of energy overall, even though your appliances look superficially worst under that analysis.
The economic equivalent would be:
You: "Hey Bob, those are expensive fishing trips. Think of the opportunity cost!"
Bob: "Thanks, you've saved me a bundle. I'll go quit my job immediately!"
(The effect you're citing is real, but the explanation is more basic: at low energy costs, efficient goods have longer payoffs. This happens regardless of what heating method people use.)
- marvin 14y agoYes, this is very obviously true. But there are very good historical reasons why this is the way things have traditionally worked in Norway. First, heat pumps were very uncommon until only a few years ago, since no one needs A/C in this cold climate. A heat pump can have a 10-year payoff with our electricity costs, although this has gotten better in recent years. There is no gas infrastucture. And it makes no sense to switch to high-energy appliances untli you're switched to more efficient heating.