Heat pumps have gained a taste of celebrity status as the most energy-efficient way to heat and cool a home. In fact, heat pumps are so efficient that experts argue swapping out your heating and cooling systems is one of the best ways homeowners can reduce their household carbon emissions. Amy Boyd, Director of Policy for the Acadia Center, a regional research and advocacy organization focusing on clean-energy policy in the Northeast, said, “A heat pump is probably the biggest thing consumers can do to help fight the climate crisis”. The publicity surrounding heat pumps comes from their win-win status as a climate solution.
During warmer months, heat pumps function like a traditional air conditioning unit, adding cool air to the room. During colder months they pull heat from the air outside and pump it into the home. This process is highly energy-efficient. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), using a heat pump can lower electricity usage for heating by about 65% when compared to electric resistance heating, such as baseboard heaters. This means that by switching to a heat pump, you could save roughly two-thirds of your heating energy consumption. By using electricity to move heat instead of burning fossil fuels to create it, the carbon emissions from operating heat pumps will continue to decrease as the electric grid is decarbonized over time. Locally, it is already less carbon-intensive to operate a heat pump than to burn gas thanks to Holy Cross Energy’s move towards a 100% carbon-free electricity supply.
The heating process of heat pumps, along with their traditional popularity in the southern United States, has led many consumers in the northern United States to question their effectiveness for heating. Since heat pumps operate by transferring heat rather than generating it, they have historically encountered challenges in colder climates. This issue has been remedied with the availability of cold climate heat pumps, and improved technology for heating in cold climates like ours. A study from 2017 conducted by a nonprofit focused on clean energy in Minnesota found that newer models operate effectively down to negative 13 degrees Fahrenheit. In colder climates, heat pumps that are not designed for cold weather have a harder time finding heat and therefore struggle. With newer technology, cold climate heat pumps provide sufficient heat down into negative outdoor temperatures. If one lives in an extreme climate and already has a fossil fuel heating system in their home, they may consider a hybrid or dual fuel heat pump system.
Hybrid systems use both conventional fossil fuel-burning heaters (typically a boiler or a furnace) in conjunction with heat pumps. The combustion heater is used only when the temperature drops low enough to decrease the heat pump’s efficiency. The fossil fuel-based heating system is used to supplement heat in the room to where the heat pump performs best. Heat pumps can run at higher than 100% efficiency because they are not creating heat, they are just moving it from one place to another. For each unit of energy input, you can get 2-3 units of heat output. Properly installed heat pumps can reach over 300% efficiency in some cases. A high-efficiency gas furnace can only be 98% efficient at the most. It’s estimated that in climate zones 6 and 7, supplemental fossil fuel heat is needed less than 20% of the time in dual-fuel systems. By using a dual fuel system, you maximize your heat pump’s efficiency while maintaining comfortable temperatures, and keeping utility bills and carbon emissions to a minimum.
There are several local and federal programs to aid in upgrading one's home to a heat pump. Federal incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act include tax credits and rebates for high-efficiency heat pumps. Through local nonprofits you may be able to get a rebate for a heat pump install, for example in the Eagle River Valley, through Walking Mountains, homeowners can get up to $1,000 from Eagle County's Energy Smart Colorado program. Those rebates can be stacked on top of utility rebates, which vary based on location and utility company. On top of these incentives, the State of Colorado provides tax credits to qualifying heat pump projects. With all these rebates, credits, and incentives, upgrading to a heat pump is starting to feel less like an expense and more like a group project where everyone else is chipping in!
Heat pumps offer a powerful and efficient solution for reducing household carbon emissions while maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures year-round. With advancements in technology and a growing array of financial incentives at federal, state, and local levels, transitioning to a heat pump is more accessible than ever. By making the switch, homeowners can contribute to a cleaner energy future, and potentially save on utility bills. The Energy team at Walking Mountains can help get you started, email energy@walkingmountains.org or visit www.WalkingMountains.org/energy.
Aidan Kinsley was a Sustainability Intern at Walking Mountains in the summer of 2024.
Sources
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/guides/heat-pump-buying-guide/
https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/energy-efficient-home-improvement-credit
https://www.energy.gov/scep/home-energy-rebates-programs
https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/heat-pump-systems