Gas fires and woodburning stoves are highly efficient
1 Jun
With the need for energy efficiency on everyone’s lips, it is interesting to see how modern gas fires and wood burning stoves measure up in today’s high tech world.
Energy conversion efficiency is the ratio between the useful output of an energy conversion machine and the input, in energy terms. The useful output may be electric power, mechanical work, or heat. Energy conversion efficiency is not defined uniquely, but instead depends on the usefulness of the output. Here are the approximate efficiencies for some items you may know:
| Energy efficiency* | |
| Combustion engine | 10-50% |
| Water Turbine | up to 90% |
| Wind Turbine | up to 59% |
| Solar cell | current maximum 42.8% |
| Fuel Cell | up to 80% |
| Household refrigerators | Up to 50%, according to rating |
| Incandescent light bulbs | 5-10% |
| Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) | up to 35% |
| Fluorescent lamps | 28% |
| Electric shower | 90-95% |
| Electric fires/heaters | around 95% |
| Gazco gas fires/heaters | up to 86% |
| Stovax multi-fuel stoves | up to 87% |
* Source: Wikipedia, except Gazco and Stovax figures
The Gazco E-Box™ gas fire range is up to 86% efficient. Replacing your old, open fronted gas fire with a modern glass-fronted gas fire really can pay dividends!
