Heat Pump (SCOP) vs. Gas Boiler Running Cost & Savings Calculator

Compare annual heating energy consumption and cost between an air-to-water heat pump (by SCOP) and a natural gas or oil condensing boiler.

Annual Heating Demand (kWh/yr)

Heat Pump Seasonal COP (SCOP)

Electricity Price (€/kWh)

Gas / Fuel Price (€/kWh)

Annual Heat Pump Cost395 €

Annual Boiler Cost (92%)924 €

Estimated Annual Savings529 € / año

Effective Cost / Thermal kWh0.039 €/kWh

How Effective Cost per Thermal kWh is Calculated from SCOP

Efficiency Standard (EN 14825): A heat pump with SCOP 4.0 delivers 4 kWh of thermal heat per 1 kWh of electricity consumed from the grid.

Grid Electricity Use (kWh) = Annual Heating Demand (kWh) / SCOP
Effective Cost per Thermal kWh (Heat Pump) = Electricity_Price / SCOP
Effective Cost per Thermal kWh (Boiler) = Fuel_Price / Boiler_Efficiency

Seasonal Performance (SCOP) by Heating Emitter Type

Heating Emitter System	Supply Water Temp	Average Real SCOP	Grid Electricity per 10,000 kWh Heat
Underfloor Heating System	30 °C - 35 °C	4.3 to 4.8	2,220 kWh electricity
Fan Coils / Low-Temp Radiators	40 °C - 45 °C	3.6 to 4.0	2,630 kWh electricity
Standard High-Temp Radiators	55 °C - 60 °C	2.8 to 3.2	3,330 kWh electricity

Frequently Asked Technical Questions (FAQ)

How do you calculate the effective cost per thermal kWh of a heat pump?

Divide your electricity rate per kWh by the seasonal SCOP: at 0.20 €/kWh and SCOP 4.0, each kWh of delivered heat costs just 0.05 €.

How does emitter temperature affect heat pump SCOP?

Underfloor heating (35°C water) achieves a SCOP of 4.3–4.8, whereas high-temperature radiators (55°C–60°C) reduce SCOP to ~3.0.