Gas, electricity or the microwave, which is the most energy efficient?

Answer

Hi Kristina,

First some numbers:
The efficiency of heating with gas is about 50 to 60%
The efficiency of heating with induction is about 90%
The efficiency of heating with the microwave is about 60 to 70%
The efficiency of heating with the kettle is almost 100%

The price of gas is approximately 0.066€/kWh
The price of electricity is about 0.22€/kWh
(based on my invoice, all costs and discounts taken into account)

Due to the differences in price between gas and electricity, even with the low efficiency of heating with gas, this method is the cheapest. To find the most energy-efficient way, I assume a gas-fired power station that generates electricity. It has an efficiency of about 60%. Then heating with the kettle and with gas are about the same height.

But you talk about ‘a small amount’, I suspect a bag. When you heat something, you have to heat up your water, but also the pot it’s in. The heat that creeps into the heating pot is lost heat. When heating up in the microwave, you heat up the water, immediately in the bag from which it is drunk. So there is no loss in heating the pot, which benefits the return.

I would therefore say approximately: heating with gas is the cheapest, heating with the microwave is the most efficient.

Kind regards,
Luc.