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Comment by formerly_proven | Hacker News Reader

> Yet governments insist newbuilds to be on electric heating

Which governments are those?

This UK document specifically mentions phasing out "high carbon fossil fuel heating" installations in new construction, which seems like the sort of thing the GP referenced, though it also mentions heat pumps as a non-resistive-heating option: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/heat-in-buildings

It should at least be heat pumps...

heat pump are highly inefficient if outside temp gets below ~5 degC and that's what happening right now on most of Europe ( incl. southern europe, I saw spain mentionned here ... )

Heat pumps are always at least as efficient as resistive heating, but do have less efficacy when the ambient temperature goes below their design parameters.

Standard heat pumps these days work great even at 5C, at least any one that I have seen.

The H2i line from Mitsubishi maintains 76% of its COP down to -25C (-13F).

Most heat pumps in the US have emergency heating that’s basically the same as electric. I believe even my gas furnace has an electric backup.

It should be the same in Europe and it will work in case the temp drops too low.

Just the heat pumps sold to warm countries, others do ok in -20C and even below (eg COP 1.5 at -25C).

Not less efficient than just using electricity. At -20C you get 1:1 electricity to heat.

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