Lennox’s Cold Climate Heat Pump Unlocks Potential for Domestic Manufacturing of Clean Energy Heating Products, Lowering Americans’ Energy Bills
Washington, DC — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that U.S. heat pump manufacturer Lennox International has become the first partner in the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge to develop a next-generation electric heat pump comparable to today’s models. than, which can heat homes in northern climates more efficiently.Cold Climate Heat Pumps (CCHPs) provide efficient heating in freezing temperatures without greenhouse gas emissions and can save homes up to $500 a year on utility bills.This achievement is a major step toward providing millions of American homes with reliable, clean heating and cooling through homegrown CCHPS, which is critical to reducing energy costs and achieving President Biden’s goal of a net-zero carbon economy by 2050. important.
“The U.S. Department of Energy’s Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge calls on U.S. businesses to make heat pumps more efficient in heating and cooling, more energy-efficient, and more attractive options for consumers—so more households can save $500 a year U.S. utility bills. With this latest prototype, Lennox has answered that call,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.”Access to emerging clean energy markets is a huge economic opportunity that will lead to stronger manufacturing, better-paying jobs, and a brighter, cleaner future for communities in Texas and across the United States.”
Space conditioning and water heating account for 46% of building emissions and more than 40% of primary energy used in residential and commercial use in the United States.They also account for 42% of all building energy bills and 56% of home energy bills each year.
The U.S. Department of Energy launched the CCHP Technology Challenge in 2021 to accelerate the development and commercialization of next-generation heat pumps by supporting innovation and manufacturing in the United States.Richardson, Texas-based Lennox International developed the first prototype, meeting the technical challenge criteria about a year early.This prototype provides 100% heating at twice the efficiency at 5°F and 70% to 80% heating at -5°F and -10°F.DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory validated the performance and efficiency of the Lennox prototype.
Lennox is one of nine manufacturers participating in the CCHP Tech Challenge.Its products and others meeting CCHP’s technical challenges will be tested in cold climate regions over the next two years to demonstrate performance, efficiency and comfort in field applications throughout the winter.Deployment and commercialization are planned for 2024.Utility partners will work with the DOE to build consumer incentives to encourage adoption, and state partners will do the same with education and outreach.More than 20 utilities, cooperatives and state agencies have committed to the challenge.
The Cold Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge is part of the Improving Energy, Emissions, and Equity Initiative (E3 Initiative) launched by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Office of Building Technologies.The U.S. Department of Energy is working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Natural Resources Canada on this work.