Comparison of CO2 emissions during the operation of autonomous heating systems

Abstract

The issue of CO2 emissions from heat generators in autonomous heating systems is one of the most important indicators of human technological impact on the Earth's atmosphere. Heat generation is carried out by heat pumps, gas and electric boilers, and systems using solid and liquid hydrocarbon fuels. The purpose of this work is to assess the CO2 emission rate per kilowatt of thermal energy for the specified generators of heating systems based on the actual energy efficiency of heat generators in heating systems with radiator-type heating devices. The study uses official data from Rosstat RF, reports from the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Economic Development, current GOST standards, and regulatory documents. CO2 emission values per kilowatt of thermal energy are determined for autonomous water heating systems when generating thermal energy with air-source heat pumps (ASHP), gas condensing and convection boilers, and boilers using solid and liquid fuels. The assessment of CO2 emissions from heat generators of autonomous water heating systems showed a dependency on the structure of electricity production and transportation, climate, and the heating devices used. All these parameters vary across different countries. Analyzing data for specific countries shows that different heating units have the minimal carbon footprint.