Nine states are teaming up to accelerate adoption of this climate-friendly device.
Death is coming for the old-school gas furnace—and its killer is the humble heat pump. They’re already outselling gas furnaces in the US, and now a coalition of states has signed an agreement to supercharge the gas-to-electric transition by making it as cheap and easy as possible for their residents to switch.
Nine states have signed a memorandum of understanding that says that heat pumps should make up at least 65 percent of residential heating, air conditioning, and water-heating shipments by 2030. (“Shipments” here means systems manufactured, a proxy for how many are actually sold.) By 2040, these states—California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island—are aiming for 90 percent of those shipments to be heat pumps.
“It’s a really strong signal from states that they’re committed to accelerating this transition to zero-emissions residential buildings,” says Emily Levin, senior policy adviser at the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), an association of air-quality agencies that facilitated the agreement. The states will collaborate, for instance, in pursuing federal funding, developing standards for the rollout of heat pumps, and laying out an overarching plan “with priority actions to support widespread electrification of residential buildings.”
We got a new heat pump installed in our 1920s house in Minnesota a couple years ago. It works its ass off all year, and only needs help from the boiler in the deepest depths of winter, which it probably wouldn’t if the house were better insulated. It’s always cheaper for us than gas, and it feels great to have our climate control 80-90% decarbonized.
Yeah cold climates are the place where heat pumps will always struggle the most. I’m also from MN and have been eyeing this as an option once my 30yo furnace finally gives in.
These modern ones work so well even in adverse conditions that they’re gaining traction in MN with HVAC companies, which is very good to see.
What? There are tens of thousands of new alpine chalets that have a heat pump as their only source of heating and hot water
They’ll only struggle if you insulated your house with half a dozen feathers
We’re kinda saying the same thing. New heat pumps are improving on a problem that’s been around for decades.
Most cold-climate heat pumps can run at total capacity until the outdoor temperature gets to about 5 F or below. It will still heat your home at those lower temperatures, but not necessarily keep it as warm as you may typically like. That’s where backup heat sources come in.
I’m in Jackson, Wyoming. We replaced the gas furnace with a Mitsubishi Hyper heat. The only time we need secondary heating is when the temperature goes below -20°f.
the only ‘problem’ is you have to keep the bone burner or some alternate source of heat (or power) for when the electricity goes out. which it does, occasionally, in the winter.
Isn’t that a problem with most forms of heat? Propane forced air furnace isn’t doing shit without electricity. Multizone boiler isn’t doing shit without power (I may be half wrong here). Outdoor wood burner isn’t doing shit without power. Your left with a wood/coal stove/fireplace, or wall propane burners scattered around. Wood furnace in the basement can get you by. But without electricity most forms of heat are screwed anyways aren’t they?
I’m not aware of anything that’s made to be used as a heat source that doesn’t need electricity to work properly. Gas furnaces have fans that circulate the air. Gas boilers have pumps that circulate the water. Even most fireplaces I’ve seen have a fan system for circulating air (and those that don’t are obviously just for ambiance and not meant to heat the room they’re in, much less the house). All require electricity.
the only ‘problem’ is you have to keep the bone burner or some alternate source of heat (or power) for when the electricity goes out.
If your electricity goes out, how are you moving that heat around the house?
We want to install one this year in our MN 1920s house. Our mini splits A/C died last year. So we need both an A/C and cheaper heat will be nice. Did you like who you used?
Yeah, we got a Daikin setup installed by MSP, who work in the Twin Cities metro.
We love our heat pump!
We did a DIY install a few years ago. Cost about $4500 in total for a Bosch 18k BTU unit and everything needed to install it.
We got $900 back from the state (WA USA) and $2000 back from the feds. That brought our total out of pocket down to $1600.
We had electric resistive heat and no AC previously. Our heating bill went down by $50/month in the winter. It added maybe $10/month in the summer for air conditioning.
For our area, with mild winters and low electricity costs, it’s fucking amazing.
How handy would you say you are? I’m wondering if I could manage to install one. Our heater is very old and hanging on by a thread.
Mini-splits aren’t terribly difficult if you’re handy. Most challenging parts are cutting through your walls and the charged lines (many models come pre-charged but are usually the lower quality models… the good ones are harder to find as a consumer and need to be charged by someone with the right tools).
I’m planning to install mini-splits in my house as soon as I can afford it.
came here to find the Technology Connections comment. was disappointed
The Technology Connections Heat Pump Playlist
[An Invidious link]
Almost 2 hours of heat pump nerdery! 😁
If they really want me to install a heat pump, please go knock some heads at PG&E. 30 cents per KWh makes it really hard.
It kinda shocks me that the supposed wealthiest country has so many people who don’t have this super common technology. Basically everyone I know has had a heat pump where I live for the past 2 decades.
As a Canadian who just got a heat pump, it’s because natural gas is so cheap here in North America.
My system has an auxiliary natural gas backup. Even though my heat pump works down to below -20°C, it’s set up to switch over to natural gas at around -6.7°C (stupid fahrenheit setting) because even at COP of ~2.0, 98% efficient natural gas is way, way cheaper.
As a Canadian, I’ve never seen anything but baseboard heaters. Which province are you in?
Ontario, but I also had cheap natural gas in Manitoba. Obviously you need access to it and only half the provinces are connected.
Given this chart, I’m assuming you live in New Brunswick, Newfoundland, or Quebec?
