A September 13th report by Alison F. Takemura (published in Canary Media) presents evidence of the superior performance of heat pumps in cold weather. A recent study by the nonprofit Regulatory Assistance Project debunks the message gas utilities are promoting that it is a good idea — even if you install heat pumps — to keep your gas connection as a backup for the coldest of days and nights.
The utilities fail to point out that this is unnecessary. As well, the costs of maintaining a gas connection that is only used occasionally is not insignificant because of: (a) the fixed costs of the connection itself and (b) the maintenance costs of the gas furnace and/or boiler. The gas utilities also invoke the value of having two systems for heating in the case of electricity outages, although most gas-fired heating systems stop operating when there is no electricity anyway.
The report is based on data from seven field studies across three continents, drawing on observations of different heat pump models from Canada, China, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the U.S.
According to Duncan Gibb, senior advisor at the Regulatory Assistance Project and co-author of the study, “It’s true that the performance does decline when it gets colder. That’s a fact.” However, Takemura writes, “when ‘entrenched interests’ use that to write off heat pumps, they’re ignoring the fact that the technology still handles cold weather reliably — and more efficiently — than fossil-based alternatives.”
Takemura emphasizes that “the myth of heat-pump insufficiency [persists]…representing a pretty dangerous line of information.”
Read the report in full.
