Building Energy

One of the important questions we face as we navigate towards an electrified future is the need to upgrade local power distribution systems. 

Overall, we are on best feasible path towards building electrification, although there are some uncertainties and some adjustments that we may need to make.

Networked ground source heat pumps offer an intriguing vision that speaks to several of the challenges in electrification.

In my previous posts about the economics of electrification, I’ve focused on whole home heat pump conversions and I’ve not adequately appreciated the economics of partial conversions.

In the many municipalities with their own light department or a municipal aggregation program, the probability of operating savings is high, although cumulative operating savings may remain modest as compared to the capital costs of a heat pump conversion.

Even for a conversion from an oil burner, consumers should not count on operating savings from a heat pump conversion.