At DMH, we take pride in educating our clients as thoroughly as possible on renewables and renewable energy technology. Firstly, it gives our customers confidence in who they are working with; a company that knows its stuff and can prove it. It also prompts them to ask the right questions, which might lead to more work in the future or even further improve their home systems. We band around a lot of terminology and abbreviations; one of which that comes up frequently is SCOP and COP. Today, we will discuss everything there is to know about SCOP and COP, so that you understand what your renewable installers are talking about.
What is COP?
COP stands for Coefficiency of Performance, a metric used to measure the efficiency of heating or cooling in a heating or cooling system. This could be for a fridge, air conditioner, or, in our case, a heat pump. In practical terms, for us, the COP indicates the ratio of heat output to the electricity required to operate it. A good COP or SCOP will have a higher heat output than the energy input.
What is SCOP?
SCOP stands for Seasonal Coefficiency of Performance. Similar to COP, SCOP is a metric for the efficiency of heating systems. However, rather than just evaluating efficiency at a given moment, SCOP considers the entire heating season. This gives clients a better idea of how their system will work throughout the year, giving them an estimate of how much money they could save.
What COP or SCOP should a system have?
The COP of a heat pump usually sits around 2.0 and 5.0. But what does this mean? This means that for every unit of electrical energy a heat pump uses, it’s producing 2-5 units of heat! This means that a heat pump can become a massive 500% efficient! For SCOP, MCS provides a minimum figure of 2.8 for a compliant system, with the average actually being approximately 3.4.
What can affect a COP or SCOP?
There are several factors that influence the final numbers displayed by a COP and SCOP. Here is a list of a few of them:
- Type of Heat Pump
- Quality of the install
- Climate conditions of the location
Looking into a system’s COP and SCOP is crucial when deciding which heat pump you are going to have installed, as it can mean the difference between saving a few hundred pounds a year or a few thousand pounds! At DMH, we help you make that decision, as well as finding out what those other requirements are to realise the best system for your home. If you’re looking to install your heat pump in preparation for winter, please get in touch with us here.
