Set heat demand
Annual heat demand describes how much heat the building needs.
Guide
Heat pump calculation: electricity use, efficiency and heating cost
A heat pump depends on the building, flow temperature and electricity price. The seasonal performance factor decides whether efficient technology becomes lower heating cost.
Quick answer
Quick answer: when does a heat pump work economically?
Review seasonal performance factor and heat demand first. If both are realistic, the comparison with gas or direct electricity becomes much more reliable.
Example
Example: Efficiency turns heat demand into power cost
Start by clarifying whether electricity use, efficiency and heating cost fit the heat pump. Then the comparison clarifies the effect of heat demand, seasonal performance factor, electricity price and flow temperature and the boundary set by building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model.
Decision focuswhether electricity use, efficiency and heating cost fit the heat pump
Main leverheat demand, seasonal performance factor, electricity price and flow temperature
Separate checkbuilding standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model
Next stepcheck efficiency and electricity price together before judging cost or economics
How to read the resultDecision focus: whether electricity use, efficiency and heating cost fit the heat pump. Separate check: building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model.
Read the result together with heat demand, seasonal performance factor, electricity price and flow temperature. Building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model limit how directly you can act on it.
Decision view
Efficiency turns heat demand into power cost
The overview separates result, lever and boundary: whether electricity use, efficiency and heating cost fit the heat pump; heat demand, seasonal performance factor, electricity price and flow temperature; building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model. This turns the graphic for Heat pump calculation into decision support rather than decoration.
What the visual shows
The values explain the most important parts of the visual.
Resultwhether electricity use, efficiency and heating cost fit the heat pump
Main leverheat demand, seasonal performance factor, electricity price and flow temperature
Separate checkbuilding standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model
The practical benefit becomes clear only when heat demand, seasonal performance factor, electricity price and flow temperature are realistic and building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model are checked separately.
Building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model can change the real-world result and should be reviewed separately before binding decisions.
How it is calculated · Mathematical background
How it is calculated
The starting point is heat demand, seasonal performance factor, electricity price and flow temperature. The transfer limit comes from building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model.
Apply performance factor
The seasonal performance factor makes clear how efficiently the heat pump turns electricity into heat.
Calculate electricity use
Heat demand divided by performance factor gives estimated heat pump electricity.
Apply electricity price
Electricity use is multiplied by the price per kWh.
Add base fee
Fixed tariff cost is added separately.
Interpret the result
Electricity use, cost and efficiency together show whether the assumptions are plausible.
The statement helps when whether electricity use, efficiency and heating cost fit the heat pump. Before binding steps, building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model remain separate.
Detailed calculation explanation
In simple terms: heat pump electricity = heat demand ÷ seasonal performance factor. Annual electricity cost = heat pump electricity × electricity price + base fee. In practice, flow temperature, insulation, radiator size, climate and user behaviour affect the real seasonal performance factor. treat the result as an annual cost scenario, not as a professional heat-load calculation; building standard, winter peaks, flow temperature, tariff model and the SCOP assumption can change real costs.
If-then rules
If-then rules for the decision
When usage or prices can change
heat demand, seasonal performance factor, electricity price and flow temperature set the main driver. The statement is robust when less favourable assumptions still work.
When choosing technology or tariffs
building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model also decide whether the calculation can become a binding next step.
When planning the next step
The next action should read the calculated value, main lever and model boundary together.
Step by step
How to interpret this topic
Read demand and generation
The central value needs a clear question: whether electricity use, efficiency and heating cost fit the heat pump. building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model stay beside the number for interpretation.
Find the strongest energy lever
The main driver is heat demand, seasonal performance factor, electricity price and flow temperature. Small changes here can matter more than additional details.
Keep model limits realistic
Beside the result sit building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model. This is where calculation ends and judgement begins.
Plan the next energy step
The calculation becomes practical when whether electricity use, efficiency and heating cost fit the heat pump leads to a concrete action with enough margin.
Checklist
Quick checklist
- Define the starting question: whether electricity use, efficiency and heating cost fit the heat pump.
- Vary the main lever within the same scenario: heat demand, seasonal performance factor, electricity price and flow temperature.
- Keep the boundary separate: building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model.
- Compare base case and cautious case only with the same reference value: whether electricity use, efficiency and heating cost fit the heat pump.
- Turn the result into action only when heat demand, seasonal performance factor, electricity price and flow temperature and building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model remain plausible together.
Common mistakes
Common mistakes
Heat pump calculation: reading the result without context
The value helps only when its purpose is clear. Otherwise details hide the boundary from building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model.
Heat pump calculation: setting the main lever too optimistically
heat demand, seasonal performance factor, electricity price and flow temperature should not be set as wish values. Otherwise the normal case gets confused with the best case.
Heat pump calculation: overlooking the model boundary
A binding step needs both the result and a clear view of building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model.
FAQ
FAQ about Heat Pump Calculator
What is Heat Pump Calculator useful for?
If heat demand, seasonal performance factor, electricity price and flow temperature are uncertain, the decision should not depend on the most favourable scenario.
When is a second scenario worthwhile?
The best comparison value is the one that turns an acceptable result into a risky one.
Where does the calculation stop?
The result is useful for orientation. Binding steps also need a view of building standard, winter peaks, radiators and tariff model.