As winter approaches, it can be really difficult to determine which heating solution is the best choice for your home – there’s electric heaters, gas heaters, ASHP heaters, wood burners and more with varying pros and cons.
One interesting point of comparison is how eco-friendly these heaters are. As our personal effect on the planet continues to become an increasingly important consideration, it’s definitely worth considering how our choice of heating impacts the world around us.
Energy Cost Comparison: What are the most cost effective heating solutions?
Let’s start with an overview of the energy cost of some of the most popular heating solutions.
This graph shows the cost in pence per kilowatt hour of heat. Possibly the most important takeaway from this is that electric heaters are by far the most expensive method of heating. They’re just over the double the cost of the next most expensive option!
As you can see the rest of the heaters covered here are fairly similar in terms of cost per hour, with a range between 4p and 7p per kilowatt hour.
Heating Sustainably: What are the most environmentally friendly heating solutions?
Let’s take a look at some of the leading heating systems in terms of environmental impact and efficiency.
Solar Heating
Solar heating systems use solar panels to capture and store thermal energy for later use. This is ideal for heating your home using a sustainable energy source, but you can also use the stored thermal energy to offset general electricity costs for your home. Solar panel installation and setup can be fairly expensive but they produce an ongoing saving in electricity costs and also add value to your home’s selling price.
Ground Source Heat Pump
Ground source heat pumps draw heat from soil or bedrock and use it to heat your home. They’re one of the most environmentally friendly ways to heat your home, but their output can be fairly dependant on the soil surrounding the installation site. They’re also associated with a high upfront setup cost and require a fairly large amount of space to install.
Water Source Heat Pump
Water source heat pumps are similar to ground source heat pumps, but they draw heat from a body of water to warm your home instead of soil. The main downside here is that they require a sustainable water source near the installation site, and this may not be accessible for the average homeowner. If you do have access to a s sustainable water source, they can be an extremely environmentally friendly and economical way to heat your home.
Biomass Boiler
Biomass boilers burn natural non-fossil fuels to generate heat for your home. Wood is usually the chosen fuel choice, but many people also opt for alternatives like grains on straw depending on availability. The biggest advantages of biomass boilers is that they’re carbon neutral, renewable, and the price of heating your home stays cheap and stable (especially when compared with traditional gas systems). On the other hand, they’re usually more expensive to install than gas boilers, and they also take up more space in the home.
What are the most popular heating solutions in the UK?
According to the 2021 census, mains gas central heating remains the most common heating solution in the UK, with roughly 74% of households using it as their primary system.
Electric central heating and homes with two or more heating types are the next most popular options, each accounting for around 9% of UK properties.
While these systems are the most widespread, they aren’t necessarily the most environmentally friendly. Solar heating, ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) and water source heat pumps (WSHPs) remain far cleaner and more sustainable alternatives — let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of each.
Solar Heater Overview
Solar thermal systems collect heat from the sun and store it in a cylinder for use in hot water or home heating. While installation can be expensive, the running costs are extremely low because the system relies on a renewable, free energy source.
Pros:
- Very low running cost
- Reduces electricity and heating bills
- Long system lifespan
- Adds value to a property
- Works well alongside heat pumps
Cons:
- Can’t provide all heat demand year-round
- Requires suitable roof space
- Performance varies in winter
- Higher upfront cost compared to conventional heaters
Ground Source Heat Pump Overview
Ground source heat pumps extract heat from soil or bedrock using buried pipework. They are among the most eco-friendly heating systems because they deliver 3–4 units of heat for every 1 unit of electricity used.
Pros:
- Extremely high efficiency (SCOP often 3.5–4.5)
- Very low running costs
- Quiet operation
- Long lifespan and low maintenance
- Excellent for large homes and rural properties
Cons:
- Very high upfront installation cost
- Requires garden space for ground loops or boreholes
- Efficiency can vary based on soil conditions
- Complex installation
Water Source Heat Pump Overview
Water source heat pumps work in a similar way to GSHPs, but use lakes, rivers or ponds as the heat source. Water provides highly stable temperatures year-round, making these systems extremely efficient – but only feasible when a suitable water source is present.
Pros:
- Very high efficiency (often higher than GSHP)
- Low running cost
- Long lifespan
- Quiet operation
Cons:
- Requires a reliable on-site water source
- Expensive installation
- Environmental permissions may be required
- Similar refrigerant limitations to GSHPs
Air Source Heat Pump Overview
Air source heat pumps absorb heat from outside air and upgrade it to heat your home. They are the most common low-carbon heating system in the UK and are eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant.
Pros:
- One of the cheapest renewable heating systems to install
- SCOP of 2.8–4.0 → significantly lower running costs than electric or gas
- Works well in most UK homes
- Lower noise levels than older generations
- Eligible for £7,500 government grant (2025)
Cons:
- Works best with good insulation
- Requires outdoor unit space
- May need radiator upgrades
- Efficiency dips slightly in freezing temperatures
Conclusion
While mains gas central heating remains the most common choice in UK homes, it isn’t the most environmentally friendly. Solar thermal, ground source heat pumps, water source heat pumps and air source heat pumps all offer significantly lower carbon impact and lower running costs over time.
Although these systems require a higher upfront investment, the combination of government grants, long-term bill savings and improved home value makes them strong financial choices for the future. If you want to reduce your environmental impact while preparing your home for upcoming heating regulations, exploring one of the renewable options above is well worth considering.
FAQs
Ground source or water source heat pumps are the most environmentally friendly heating methods. Unfortunately these systems are usually associated with a very expensive installation cost, so they’re often not the first-choice heating solution for the average buyer.
Solar heating is another great option if you’re looking for something eco-friendly, and it’s usually cheaper than both ground source or water source heating solutions.
The greenest options for home heating are water source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, or solar heating. These three options are associated with higher setups than many other methods of heating, but they’re extremely environmentally friendly and produce a long term saving on your energy bills.
Water source heat pumps usually cost between £8,000 and £18,000 to buy and install. Ground source heat pumps are more expensive, costing in the range of £14,500 to £45,000 to install.
Solar heating is more than capable of providing heat for a UK winter as long as you have a suitable amount of solar energy storage. Storage can be expensive, but it undoubtedly produces a long term saving if you can afford the initial setup costs.
Thanks for reading our article comparing the most eco-friendly heating solutions for this winter.
Thank you for reading our article on the most environmental heating solutions this winter.
If you’re shopping for a new heater you may want to take a look at our articles on the Best Calor Gas Heaters UK, Best Halogen Heaters UK or the Best Infrared Heaters UK to help narrow down your options. We cover the best models at a range of different price points.
If you want a more general overview on heating your home, check out our Ultimate Home Heating Guide.
Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any thoughts or queries that you’d like us to take a look at – we’d be happy to help.
