Heat Batteries Emerge as Alternative to Heat Pumps

When Michelle McClements was looking to replace her nearly two-decade-old oil boiler, a heat pump seemed like the obvious choice.

She was keen on making her four-bedroom home in rural England more environmentally friendly, so a new oil boiler was out of the question. She also knew she could get a £7,500 ($9,700) government grant if she went with a heat pump.

But when she hired a contractor to plan the switch, she learned that installing one would require an expensive revamp of her home’s pipework and radiators — if she could first find a spot for the heat pump’s ...