By Vangelis Dourakis

With the cost of energy remaining “stingy” and winter already showing its “teeth”, it is logical for every household to calculate very carefully what it will spend on heating. The money each family will pay varies depending on the heating source they use, with the difference from the cheapest to the most expensive even reaching 165 euros per month. Through examples, attempts to provide answers for the costs that arise depending on the heating source.

In order to draw relatively safe conclusions, the comparison for the cost per heating source was made based on a typical Greek household, i.e. the one with a moderately insulated apartment of 80 sq.m. with 100 sq.m. in the Athens basin (B Climate zone), which operates the heating system 8 to 10 hours a day and with the room temperature set at 20℃.

What we pay depending on the heating source

So what will a typical household pay, depending on the heating source it uses?

  • Heating system with an oil burner maintained with a price per liter of €1.15 and an average monthly consumption of 150 lt – Cost €172.50
  • Heating system with a gas burner maintained with a thermal KWh price of €0.085 and an average monthly consumption of 1582KWh – Cost €134.50
  • Heating system with A++ inverter air conditioners (1 unit 18,000 Btu and 2 units 9,000 Btu) with 17 minutes per KWh and with an average monthly consumption of 735 KWh, the cost is €125, without inverter the consumption is 1320 KWh X 17 minutes/ KWh = €224.4
  • Heating system with electric bodies or electric heaters or air heaters (3 units of 2000W each) and with 17 minutes per KWh, with an average monthly consumption of 1440KWh – Cost 245€
  • Heating system with an air-water heat pump, (8KW-10KW) of high energy efficiency (A+, efficiency rating >3.50) of medium temperatures (hot water supply to the radiators 55℃) with an average monthly consumption of 480 KWh and with 17 minutes per KWh, the cost amounts to €81.6

The cost of the electric kilowatt-hour is taken into account in the calculations with 17 minutes, because those operating electric heating exceed 500 kilowatt-hours per month, so they are charged a higher price than the average price of 15 minutes that most providers offer for consumptions up to 500KWh.

Which heating source is suitable – What the crash test showed

Based on these data and the previous crash test, Energy Inspector Michalis Christodoulidis estimates that “heat pump electricity is the absolute economic choice, because if the rising kilowatt hours are not taken into account, it means that for five months the household that lives in The Municipality of Athens will pay 81.6 euros over 5 months = 408 euros.

The allowance he will receive will be 380 euros (basic allowance for electric heating) multiplied by the rate of degree days in Athens which is 0.43 gives us 163.40 euros, increased by 40% (20% for each child) gives us 228.76 euro.

So the cost that the household with a heat pump will pay at the end of the five-month heating period will be 408 euros minus the 228.76 euros of the allowance = 179.24 euros.

If the same household were heated with a gas burner, it would pay 134.5 euros x 5 months = 672.5 euros, the basic allowance for heating with gas is 300 euros multiplied by 0.43 (degree day factor in the Municipality of Athens) = 129 euros increased by 40 % (for the 2 children) = 180.6 euros.

So the cost paid by the household with a gas burner will be 672.5 euros minus 180.60 euros = 491.90 euros.

If the 3 inverter air conditioners worked, we would pay 125 euros over 5 months = 625 euros minus the allowance of 228.76 = 396.24 euros

If the same household were heated with an oil burner it would pay 172.50 euros x 5 months = 862.5 euros, the basic oil heating allowance is 300 euros multiplied by 0.43 (degree day factor in the Municipality of Athens) = 129 euros increased by 40 % (for the 2 children) = 180.60 euros.

So the cost paid by the household with an oil burner will be 862.5 euros minus 180.60 euros = 681.90 euros.

And if he finally used the 3 electric bodies in the 5th month we will pay 245 euros x 5 = 1,225 euros minus the allowance of 228.76 euros = 996.73 euros.

Therefore, the heat pump is clearly beneficial, then the inverter air conditioners then the gas burner and finally the oil burner, under no circumstances should a family heat the house with electric bodies, even if they receive the electric heating allowance of 228.76 euro”.