Last summer, the president announced new authority for the Department of Energy to use the Defense Production Act to increase production of five key clean energy technologies. In the months following the initial announcement, the Biden-Harris administration led stakeholder engagement to determine how to maximize the impact of DPA funding. In October, the Department of Energy released an RFI to determine how best to use DPA power to accelerate domestic production and deployment of four technologies, including transformers and grid components, solar PV, insulation materials, and for pure hydrogen electrolyzers, platinum group metals, and fuel elements.
Congress appropriated $500 million for DPA investments under the Inflation Reduction Act, and in accordance with Congressional intent, the president allocated $250 million of that amount to support heat pumps. The US Department of Energy is currently seeking public feedback on the proposed funding approach for electric heat pump manufacturers, including the application process, examples of eligible projects, eligibility and selection criteria, and potential funding requirements. Contributions received by the department will also focus on equity and access to energy, potential benefits for neighboring communities, and support for small and medium manufacturing companies.
All responses to the heat pump RFI/NOI request must be submitted by 5:00 pm EST November 30, 2022.
Under the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the Department of Energy’s Office of State and Public Energy Programs will fund an additional $260 million for contractor training programs to improve building efficiency and electrification. To better assess staff training needs, the Department of Energy is organizing a round table with trade unions, businesses and other stakeholders to get direct input on the development of an ideal staff training program for heat pump manufacturing and installation.
As part of the US Department of Energy Cold Climate Residential Heat Pump Technology Competition, the US Department of Energy today announced Carrier and Trane Technologies as the latest partners to successfully develop a next generation electric heat pump that is more efficient than current models in cold climates. houses below. Both companies join Lennox, which announced earlier this year the first company operating in the US to support the effort and provide prototypes to be installed in homes for performance monitoring and testing. Electric heat pumps can provide efficient heating in freezing temperatures while reducing local air pollution and greenhouse gases, and potentially saving homes $500 or more a year on utility bills.