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A Comparative Environmental Assessment of Heat Pumps and Gas Boilers towards a Circular Economy in the UK

Author

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  • Selman Sevindik

    (Energy Institute, Bartlett School Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK)

  • Catalina Spataru

    (Energy Institute, Bartlett School Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK)

  • Teresa Domenech Aparisi

    (Institute for Sustainable Resources, Bartlett School Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK)

  • Raimund Bleischwitz

    (Institute for Sustainable Resources, Bartlett School Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK)

Abstract

This research compares the potential environmental impacts of heat pumps with gas boilers and scenario analysis through utilising the life cycle approach. The study analyses the current situation with the baseline model and assesses future applications with Circular Economy (CE), Resource Efficiency (RE) and Limited Growth (LG) scenarios. Then, hybrid applications of low-carbon technologies and different manufacturing scenarios are investigated according to baseline and CE scenarios. Our results show that the use and manufacturing phases are responsible for 74% and 14% of all environmental impacts on average as expected. Even though the electricity mix of the UK has decarbonised substantially during the last decade, heat pumps still have higher lifetime impacts than gas boilers in all environmental categories except climate change impact. The carbon intensity of heat pumps is much lower than gas boilers with 0.111 and 0.097 kg CO 2 e for air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps, whereas the boiler stands as 0.241 kg CO 2 e. Future scenarios offer significant reductions in most of the impact categories. The CE scenario has the highest potential with a 44% reduction for heat pumps and 27% for gas boilers on average. RE and LG scenarios have smaller potential than the CE scenario, relatively. However, several categories expect an increase in future scenarios such as freshwater ecotoxicity, marine ecotoxicity and metal depletion categories. High deployment of offshore wind farms will have a negative impact on these categories; therefore, a comprehensive approach through a market introduction programme should be provided at the beginning before shifting from one technology to another. The 50% Hybrid scenario results expect a reduction of 24% and 20% on average for ASHP and GSHP, respectively, in the baseline model. The reduction is much lower in the CE scenario, with only a 2% decrease for both heat pumps because of the reduction in heat demand in the future. These results emphasise that even though the importance of the use phase is significant in the baseline model, the remaining phases will play an important role to achieve Net-Zero targets in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Selman Sevindik & Catalina Spataru & Teresa Domenech Aparisi & Raimund Bleischwitz, 2021. "A Comparative Environmental Assessment of Heat Pumps and Gas Boilers towards a Circular Economy in the UK," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-26, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:11:p:3027-:d:560873
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rokas Valancius & Rao Martand Singh & Andrius Jurelionis & Juozas Vaiciunas, 2019. "A Review of Heat Pump Systems and Applications in Cold Climates: Evidence from Lithuania," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-18, November.
    2. Greening, Benjamin & Azapagic, Adisa, 2012. "Domestic heat pumps: Life cycle environmental impacts and potential implications for the UK," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 205-217.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Tamás Buday & Erika Buday-Bódi, 2023. "Reduction in CO 2 Emissions with Bivalent Heat Pump Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-18, April.
    2. Viktoria Mannheim & Károly Nehéz & Salman Brbhan & Péter Bencs, 2023. "Primary Energy Resources and Environmental Impacts of Various Heating Systems Based on Life Cycle Assessment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-23, October.
    3. Shamoushaki, Moein & Koh, S.C. Lenny, 2024. "Net-zero life cycle supply chain assessment of heat pump technologies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 309(C).
    4. Mahdiyeh Zafaranchi & William T. Riddell & Nicholas B. Chan & Elizabeth Saliba & Luke Leung, 2025. "Evaluating the Environmental Impact of Heat Pump Systems: An Integrated Approach to Sustainable Building Operations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-22, January.
    5. Piotr Ciuman & Jan Kaczmarczyk & Małgorzata Jastrzębska, 2022. "Simulation Analysis of Heat Pumps Application for the Purposes of the Silesian Botanical Garden Facilities in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-19, December.
    6. Anna Mazzi & Jingzheng Ren, 2021. "Circular Economy in Low-Carbon Transition," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-2, December.
    7. Francisco A. Carrasco & Johanna F. May, 2025. "Material Sustainability of Low-Energy Housing Electric Components: A Systematic Literature Review and Outlook," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-21, January.
    8. Bayer, Daniel R. & Pruckner, Marco, 2024. "Data-driven heat pump retrofit analysis in residential buildings: Carbon emission reductions and economic viability," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 373(C).
    9. Selman Sevindik & Catalina Spataru, 2022. "An Integrated Methodology for Scenarios Analysis of Low Carbon Technologies Uptake towards a Circular Economy: The Case of Orkney," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-29, December.

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