Cheapest: Ground-source heat pump at 0.07 € per useful kWh (≈1,050 €/yr). Most expensive: Electric resistance / storage heaters at 4,200 €/yr. Lowest CO₂: Wood pellet boiler.
Cheapest: Ground-source heat pump
€1,050
0.07 € per useful kWh
Firewood logs (stove/boiler)
€1,103
0.074 €/kWh · +53 vs cheapest
Wood pellet boiler
€1,243
0.083 €/kWh · +193 vs cheapest
Air-source heat pump
€1,313
0.088 €/kWh · +263 vs cheapest
Natural gas (condensing boiler)
€1,667
0.111 €/kWh · +617 vs cheapest
District heating
€1,701
0.113 €/kWh · +651 vs cheapest
LPG (propane) boiler
€1,785
0.119 €/kWh · +735 vs cheapest
Heating oil boiler
€1,812
0.121 €/kWh · +762 vs cheapest
Electric resistance / storage heaters
€4,200
0.28 €/kWh · +3,150 vs cheapest
Heat pump vs gas price ratio
2.8
an air-source heat pump beats gas below 3.56×
Air-source HP saving vs gas
€354
Lowest-carbon option
Wood pellet boiler
0.51 t CO₂/yr
Cost per useful kWh
| System | Fuel price (€/kWh) | Efficiency / SCOP | Useful heat (€/kWh) | Fuel needed | Annual (€) | CO₂ (t/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground-source heat pump | 0.28 | 4 | 0.07 | 3,750 kWh | 1,050 | 1.31 |
| Firewood logs (stove/boiler) | 0.053 | 72% | 0.074 | 12 steres | 1,103 | 0.52 |
| Wood pellet boiler | 0.073 | 88% | 0.083 | 3,551 kg | 1,243 | 0.51 |
| Air-source heat pump | 0.28 | 3.2 | 0.088 | 4,688 kWh | 1,313 | 1.64 |
| Natural gas (condensing boiler) | 0.1 | 90% | 0.111 | 16,667 kWh | 1,667 | 3.05 |
| District heating | 0.11 | 97% | 0.113 | 15,464 kWh | 1,701 | 2.32 |
| LPG (propane) boiler | 0.106 | 89% | 0.119 | 2,380 litres | 1,785 | 3.61 |
| Heating oil boiler | 0.106 | 88% | 0.121 | 1,647 litres | 1,812 | 4.21 |
| Electric resistance / storage heaters | 0.28 | 100% | 0.28 | 15,000 kWh | 4,200 | 5.25 |
- Cost per useful kWh = fuel price per kWh ÷ seasonal efficiency (or SCOP). Fuel energy contents: LPG 7.08 kWh/L, oil 10.35 kWh/L (gross), pellets 4.8 kWh/kg.
- Fossil CO₂ factors: DESNZ 2024 (gas 0.183, LPG 0.214, oil 0.247 kg/kWh). Wood is near-neutral on combustion, so supply-chain values are shown. Heat pumps and electric heating use your grid factor.
- Installation costs are excluded. For lifetime cost of ownership, use the heat pump vs gas boiler calculator.