A nine-state alliance aims to make heat pumps the future of heating and cooling homes across their states.
The agreement, led by the nonprofit organization Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, calls for 90% of residential heating, cooling, and water-heating sales to be heat pumps by the year 2040, Canary Media reported. Officials from California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island signed the agreement.
The memorandum of understanding, which is not legally binding, also calls for heat pumps to make up 65% of such sales by 2030.
"The idea is to send a clear signal to the market that heat pumps are the future of home heating and cooling, while reflecting the urgency with which we need to act to meet [greenhouse gas] emissions reduction targets," Matt Casale, senior manager of market transformation with the Building Decarbonization Coalition, told Canary.
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This coalition comes on the heels of a Washington state law that requires heat pumps — or an alternative that is just as energy-efficient — to be a part of every new home and apartment.
Traditional heating and cooling systems are responsible for about half of a home's energy use. Gas- and oil-powered furnaces alone can account for 40% of a home's carbon pollution.
Heat pumps can help solve those issues. Instead of burning fuel to generate heat, they use heat from the outside air and pump it through your home, even when it's freezing outside. And during the summertime, they function just like an air conditioner, using electricity to move warm air out of your home and replacing it with cooler air.
The way it works is so efficient that many users save upwards of $650 a year on their heating and cooling costs, while also using 40% less energy. And rebates from the Inflation Reduction Act make it possible to save thousands of dollars on installation costs.
For those ready to buy a heat pump, EnergySage can help you compare offers from trained professionals in its network, so that you can get a new, energy-efficient HVAC system for a great price.
Those wanting to take advantage of IRA savings may want to act quickly. The Trump administration has signaled its desire to end many of those rebates and credits, although Congressional approval would be required to do so.
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