Presentation No 1161 – Addressing the barriers to heating electrification in the US – 14th IEA Heat Pump Conference, Chicago, USA
One of the greatest challenges in US electrification efforts to reduce carbon emissions is to utilize electric heat pumps for space and water heating rather than fossil fuels. Although the number of heat pumps for space conditioning is growing, they still represent only 35% of sales and only 12% of installed base. While it has been over forty years since one of the first heat pump water heaters was introduced, they only account for 2% of sales and less than 1% of the installed base. Several barriers exist that impede the widespread adoption of heat pump technology for space and water heating in the US, especially for retrofit applications. This paper will examine the various barriers and identify potential solutions and strategies to address those barriers, including various research activities related to equipment, and potential cost reduction strategies, both for the product and installation. Also included will be a discussion of programs and incentives by utilities and efficiency organizations.