Gas v electric kWH?

[Vortex2]

We use just electricity in our eco house.
We use around 8kWH per day.

However a relative in a normal semi has just had a Smartmeter fitted.
They use 9kWH day of electricity and 60kWH per day in gas !!!

Their gas biling rate is low 'tho, so their bills total around £300 a month.

What is going on with these high gas kWH figures ???

[clv101]

Gas central heating, boiler probably set too hot. Gas hot water, is a tank being maintained at a high temperature?

[Vortex2]

Gas central heating, boiler probably set too hot. Gas hot water, is a tank being maintained at a high temperature?

I'll ask .. but 60 kWH of gas, if equivalent to electric, is enough to run a welding rig non-stop all day!

I'll assume that the gas kWH conversion is not real .. at least, not equivalent to electric.

[kenneal - lagger]

The gas burning could be at as little as 60% efficiency whereas the electricity would be used at nigh on 100% efficiency.

[adam2]

Gas boilers vary in output but 20 kw to 30 kw are common ratings. So 60 kwh a day only represents 2 or 3 hours use a day. Typical for a poorly insulated home in cool weather, or even for a well insulated but unusually large house.

A kwh of heat from gas is exactly the same as a kwh of heat from electricity. But remember that electric heat is virtually 100% efficient whereas a gas boiler varies from about 60% up to about 90% efficient.

[kenneal - lagger]

An older house, even a semi, could use over five times the amount of heat that an "ecohouse" of similar size uses. Then you have to factor in length of heating day and temperature of the house in that time. As an eco house builder you probably wear more clothes in the house during the winter than a typical, relatively unthinking", house owner would.

I would work on saving 80% of the energy used in a 70s or 80s house when designing an eco renovation so that gives an idea of the amount of heat wasted in houses of that age. A house built to current regulations could see a 50% saving but with less outlay on insulation.

[Vortex2]

As an eco house builder you probably wear more clothes in the house during the winter than a typical, relatively unthinking", house owner would.

How did you know ????

[Vortex2]

So 60 kwh a day only represents 2 or 3 hours use a day.

Sheesh .. so it looks like we throw buckets of energy into older houses, only to see it fly away due to minimal insulation ...

Extra question : why is the elec kWH so much more expensive than gas?
We should run our heat pumps on gas ... the monthly bill would be pennies!

[adam2]

A lot of electricity is made by burning gas.
The very best combined cycle gas turbine power stations produce under ideal conditions, about 1 kwh of electricity for each 2 kwh of gas consumed.
A more realistic average under real world conditions would be 1 kwh of electricity from 3 kwh of gas.

Therefore electricity produced by burning natural gas would cost for FUEL ALONE about three times the price per kwh of gas. Add all the other costs of doing business such as wages, employment overheads, taxes, insurance, repairs and renewals, interest on capital invested, and even a profit and the present electricity prices should be no surprise.

Very roughly half of UK electricity is from gas.

Running a heat pump on natural gas is possible but seldom done due to the extra capital costs and complications.

O/T trivia, but the Royal festival Hall USED to have heat pumps powered by war surplus Rolls Royce Merlin aircraft engines. Converted to burn town gas instead of natural gas.

[clv101]

Extra question : why is the elec kWH so much more expensive than gas?

You know this. Electricity is made from gas, losing a lot of energy along the way - and you have to pay for the capital/operational expense of the power stations.

In the UK, with historically cheap and abundant gas, we've tried to avoid electric heating and heat pumps. This is the reverse in much of Europe where gas wasn't a third the price hence you see much more electric heating and heat pumps in other countries - especially those with lots of hydro or nuclear.

[mr brightside]

So if i want to do the washing up, do i boil the kettle or get hot water from the combi?

On a further note, has anyone tried washing their car with cold water and fairy?

[Vortex2]

has anyone tried washing their car with cold water and fairy?

Save water and wash the car in the rain.
You can wash - and the rinsing is automatic.

[clv101]

I wash my car maybe once a year on average - If I'm going to a wedding or something similar.

[Vortex2]

I wash my car maybe once a year on average - If I'm going to a wedding or something similar.

We wash ours at MOT time.

[kenneal - lagger]

We haven't washed any of our cars since I washed my car before I picked my then girl friend, now wife, up from the airport as she came home from visiting her parents abroad for a month. That was about 55 years ago!!

What's the point?