Gov. Charlie Baker said “innovation,” not regulation, is needed to help homeowners get through the winter.
A few months ago, Baker said he wanted to test the “existing myth” that heat pumps are not suitable for single-family homes in cold climates like Massachusetts by evaluating his home as a potential candidate for electrification. .
The “myth” the governor spoke of in April was more about whether heat pumps, which transfer heat from the ground or indoor air, can efficiently heat older New England homes like the 140-year-old Baker home in Swampscott. he asked experts to look, he saw firsthand another obstacle to electrification – cost.
“When we moved in, our house was full of radiators; it was built in 1880, okay? We’ve converted over half of them to forced hot air, okay? heat pump What it takes for a radiator is mind boggling,” Baker said last week when asked about the cost of a heat pump.
Massachusetts is committed to reducing carbon emissions by at least 33% by 2025, at least 50% by 2030, at least 75% by 2040, and at least 85% by 2050. net emissions to mid-century emissions. Harvesting electricity from renewable sources and converting fossil-fueled equipment to use cleaner electricity is the state’s main strategy to meet these requirements.
The Governor took to GBH Radio to talk about one of the key features of his recent climate legislation – a massive energy innovation fund funded under the U.S. Relief Plan Act – and said he thinks the clean energy world should learn from from COVID-19. guides to accelerate technological advances that will help reduce electrification costs.
“The simplest comparison I can make is that it’s not rules and regulations, requirements and orders that really save us from COVID, okay? Yes, this is a vaccine based on years of research and finding out how to do it. (mRNA) And build on that in a very short time,” Baker said. “Innovation must be part of the answer.”
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