ᐅ Gas heating combined with solar thermal system for new construction

If we manage to motivate the masses and generate enough pressure on both industry and policymakers, the whole process can proceed with almost no restrictions and bring many positive effects for everyone involved.

Pinkiponk schrieb:

We have decided on a gas heating system, which we will operate with biogas for minimal additional costs, if any. Furthermore, we assume that the gas heating will be run with hydrogen in the medium term,

This topic has already been thoroughly discussed here and rightly dismissed as nonsense.

A new build with typically low heating demand practically calls for a heat pump.
Gas heating is no longer the standard, even though many home builders still list it as standard in their construction specifications.

CC35BS38 schrieb:

@kati1337 has an air-to-water heat pump in the new build, I think heating costs are around 50–70€ per month. She can probably explain it better herself. Try to match that with a new gas contract. You can easily compare.

That’s about right; we had around 55€ last year. However, we secured a cheap electricity contract and pay a unit price below 30 cents. It’s unlikely to get that rate again.

Frank1987 schrieb:

36.5 aerated concrete

With that, even without additional insulation, you already achieve quite good values. We also once considered a variant with it; depending on the insulation beneath the slab, you can meet KfW55 or Energy Saving Ordinance standards. It can be built with a heat pump.

Hydrogen in the gas grid wasn’t such a hype back then and was therefore not considered. "Biogas" from very intensive industrial agriculture is a niche product and will remain so. There is only limited space for agriculture, and right now we are seeing again how important it is to at least grow basic food crops locally. And monocultures like rapeseed are simply not environmentally friendly at all. Gas from waste exists, but there is not enough waste available to produce gas on a large scale.

I can understand anyone replacing an oil burner with gas in an older building. That makes sense if you don’t want to do a complete renovation. But for new builds, I’m a bit more critical. There are reasons, for example if mainly wood heating is used but sometimes the house needs to be heated during absence. In that case, you might want to save on a more expensive underfloor heating system. Otherwise, from today’s perspective, I don’t see any reason to even plan for a gas heating system in new construction. If the building is already underway, you can still do it if you want (@Pinkiponk this is for you 🙂 )

By the way, you don’t need photovoltaics for the heat pump. Electricity is available from the grid. At night or during a week of foggy, cold weather, you have no other option anyway. Photovoltaics are a bonus, not a requirement.

I cannot imagine generating even close to enough electricity with the photovoltaic system in winter to power the heat pump. Additionally, a heat pump is not always an option due to the lack of ground drilling or a cold location. You also have to like underfloor or wall heating. The durability of the heat pump is lower.

None of that matters (and is mostly incorrect anyway) as long as there are no alternatives...