New here, so apologies for the basic question.
My undergraduate-level physics understanding of efficiency is it is the % of energy input that is turned into useful work as opposed to heat. At the same time, I've been told that free-standing space heaters waste energy because they are "inefficient". How can something that is designed to produce heat be considered inefficient?
Similarly, is there any reason to care about the efficiency light bulbs if I live in a climate where it is always cold outside and both heat and light are desirable things for a light bulb to produce?
Best Answer
The statement about electric heating being “inefficient” may take into account the inefficiencies of generating the electricity at the power plant. Even modern combined-cycle natural-gas power plants only convert 50 to 60 of the thermal energy in the natural gas to electricity, so even though the efficiency of your space heater is near 100%, the combined efficiency is lower than the alternative, which is delivering the natural gas to your home and converting it to heat at more than 90% efficiency.