Can I configure an electric tankless water heater to run a baseboard hot-water heating system?
This is possible; unfortunately, it is very inefficient. Not only is electrical energy too valuable to use for heating, but using it with a hydronic baseboard system adds complexity and distribution losses without any gains over electric baseboard heaters. As I explained in my answer to Brittany Sims of Oregon, electrical energy has about three times the carbon footprint per unit of energy that gas has. So while there are many household tasks, such as lighting, that require electrical energy, heating is more efficiently powered by gas (or in absence of gas, oil—but it is typically less efficient and not as “clean” as gas). My recommendation would therefore be to use a tankless gas heater to run your baseboard heating system. If you do not have gas in your cottage, consider a propane tank, or best of all, install a solar hot-water system with a small electric backup. To build a baseboard hydronic heating system, you will need a pump, a manifold, a control system, and the tankless heater
This is possible; unfortunately, it is very inefficient. • Not only is electrical energy too valuable to use for heating. • Using it with a hydronic baseboard system adds complexity and distribution losses without any gains over electric baseboard heaters. As I explained in my answer to Brittany Sims of Oregon, electrical energy has about three times the carbon footprint per unit of energy that gas has. So while there are many household tasks, such as lighting, that require electrical energy, heating is more efficiently powered by gas (or in absence of gas, oil—but it is typically less efficient and not as “clean” as gas). My recommendation would therefore be to use a tankless gas heater to run your baseboard heating system. If you do not have gas in your cottage, consider a propane tank, or best of all, install a solar hot-water system with a small electric backup.
