https://www.metering.com/news/report-electric-heat-pumps-aceee/
Report confirms electric heat pumps are a smart investment
July 12, 2018
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy has released a
report which finds that replacing oil and propane furnaces, boilers and
water heaters with high-efficiency electric heat pumps can reduce total
energy use and energy bills, as well as reduce emissions in many cases.
It further states that the energy and money saved by installing electric
equipment instead of propane- or oil-powered equipment can often make up
for the upfront cost in relatively short order.
The report entitled Energy Savings, Consumer Economics, and Greenhouse
Gas Emissions Reductions from Replacing Oil and Propane Furnaces,
Boilers, and Water Heaters with Air-Source Heat Pumps explores how to
achieve the ambitious worldwide goal of reducing greenhouse gas
emissions by 80% or more by 2050.
It suggests that consumers and businesses will increasingly need to use
heat pumps powered by low- or no-carbon electricity for space and water
heating.
The report illuminates consumer acceptance of heat pumps and describes
some early programmes to promote them for space and water heating. The
most successful programmes provide substantial upstream incentives (to
wholesalers) or midstream incentives (to contractors) and include
contractor training and certification so systems are properly installed.
Report findings summary
Research identifies important market niches that look attractive
for heat pumps as replacements for many oil-fired and electric
resistance systems and some propane-fired systems.
Policymakers and programme implementers in states with substantial
use of oil, propane and electric resistance systems should consider
offering programmes to promote heat pumps for these applications,
building on initial successful programmes in the Northeast and
Northwest. Such programmes should focus on heat pumps that are at least
ENERGY STAR certified, with higher incentives for the highest-efficiency
systems, particularly cold-climate heat pumps that can provide heat even
at low temperatures.
Programmes and other development efforts should encourage the
commercialisation of more cold-climate heat pumps, particularly ducted
systems with enough heating capacity to serve a home in cold weather.
Continued development of gas-fired heat pumps should also be
pursued; a key for this technology will be keeping costs at a level that
will permit these systems to compete with advanced electric heat pumps,
as well as high-efficiency natural gas, propane, and oil systems.
Click here to read the full report.
[http://www2.aceee.org/e/310911/research-report-a1803/2zv6jb/166151291]
