Until recently, diamond was considered the rarest variety of coal. However, the events of recent months have also turned this common, dirty coal into literally "black gold". Fewer and fewer people can afford to buy it, and even if they have money, there is no raw material on the market. How to heat your house when there is no fuel?
From this article you will learn:
- what can replace coal as a heating fuel,
- why you have to spend first to be able to save,
- how to improve the thermal performance of a building.
If not coal, then what?
The market abhors a vacuum. Since there is a shortage of coal and it is too late to replace boilers fired with it this season, there are offers of other solid fuels, but a quick review of them makes your hair stand on end. Rubber eco-pea coal, sawdust stuffed into plastic bottles or cut pieces of varnished furniture are just some of the "alternatives" that are already on sale. Controls using drones and fines for burning waste (which the above-mentioned "fuels" actually are) are announced, but this does not solve the problem - if good quality fuel is not available or costs a lot, which will result in punishing those who, in an act of desperation, try to heat their houses for anything?
Electricity would seem to be a natural replacement for heating with coal, but the recently announced consumption limits have immediately ruled out such a solution, or at least cooled down the enthusiasm of those willing to use it. In 2023 , consumption will be limited to 2,000 kWh per meter per year, which means that we will pay for this amount at the frozen rates from 2022 , and for consumption above this barrier at the new rates from 2023. The first 2,000 kWh will always be will be cheaper, regardless of the final result, only the surplus will be more expensive. What will the new prices be? We will only find out in the end, but it is estimated that they may be higher than the current ones by up to 170%. Paradoxically, those most at risk of exceeding the limit are those who have invested in modern and ecological heat pumps and... poor people who, in the absence of cheap coal, will choose - out of necessity rather than choice - to heat themselves with electric devices.
Heat pump and photovoltaics
In the heating season that is just starting, it will be difficult to radically change habits and rebuild the home heating system in such a way as to become independent from coal and electricity at the same time. We expect that the boom in heat pumps and photovoltaic systems , for which demand increased sharply in the spring of 2022 when the first signals about possible coal shortages and high electricity prices began to appear , will continue. The unwavering demand for this type of solutions will certainly result in high component prices, but also in difficulties in appointing a reliable assembly team, which will most likely demand an exorbitant fee for their work. Well, it was already cheap, and if we think about returning to low bills, we will have to "buy" them by investing in modern technologies.
Check out the offer of heat pumps at the Onninen wholesaler
Investment in energy storage for photovoltaics
A solution that ensures independence from fossil raw materials and energy networks is to combine a heat pump with a photovoltaic installation equipped with its own energy storage . The former operates without the use of fuel, the latter provides the electricity necessary for its operation without the need to download it from the transmission network. Investing in such a set involves significant outlays, but these will pay off over time , and when this happens, continued use will begin to generate savings and priceless peace of mind resulting from full "impregnation" to price turmoil on the energy market.
Check out the offer of energy storage at the Onninen wholesaler
Gas boiler as an intermediate solution
You can also choose an intermediate solution. Although the prospects for an adequate supply of gas to our country also look uncertain (due to the war in Ukraine and the disruption of supply chains from Russia), but for now we are not observing such severe fuel shortages on the market, nor (which is directly related to this) such sharp price increases. A gas boiler may therefore be a way out of the energy dilemma, but it seems to be a temporary solution - fossil fuels are becoming unpredictable in terms of prices, and European policy assumes a gradual shift away from them in favor of renewable sources , so it is definitely worth taking this into account before making a decision.
Check out the offer of gas boilers at the Onninen wholesaler
Thermal modernization of the building and saving fuel
If getting away from coal or other solid fuel is not an option this season, you can strive to reduce their consumption. An insulated building releases less heat into the surroundings, which translates into less input into the furnace . Moreover, it is worth examining your conscience and taking a closer look at your habits. Haven't we overheated so far at too high temperatures, which it would be worth trying to reduce this season? Shouldn't we turn on the radiators and open the windows at the same time? Or maybe the windows themselves are already poorly airtight and some savings can be achieved by improving their insulation? Any method is good if it allows you to reduce expenses without significantly reducing the level of thermal comfort.
The Chinese say: "May you live in interesting times" and, contrary to appearances, it is a curse. Interesting times have just come for us, and although we would like to offer ready-made recipes for surviving them, people like us have already tried to find a way out and failed. If we can suggest something, we suggest running forward - investing your savings in such a way as to become as resistant as possible to the skyrocketing energy prices and shortages of energy carriers on the market . Otherwise, we will soon find ourselves in an impossible situation: there is no coal, and the money with which we could buy it will turn out to be worth little. Here's to spring!