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Have you heard of tree huggers? Well, on October 26th, the Advanced Water Heater Program and hundreds of other organizations will be celebrating another climate saver cylinder that we should all be excited about (and even embrace) – heat pump water heaters.
I know it may seem strange to use perhaps the least popular and least interesting appliance in your home, but an Energy Star heat pump water heater is one of the most important climate protection tools you’ve probably never heard of.
Of course, we are all excited about solar panels, wind turbines, electric bikes and cars, heat pumps and LED lights. But heat pump water heaters should be at the top of the list of technologies that save the planet and improve the quality of life. Why? Hot water accounts for approximately 20% of household energy consumption, meaning it is a significant contributor to CO2 emissions (100 million tons per year, according to the Advanced Hot Water Initiative) and costs households hundreds of dollars in energy bills.
Heat pump water heaters are a panacea for this problem. They are 2 to 4 times more efficient than fossil gas or electrical resistance water heaters, emit little if any CO2 (depending on your power mix), and cost about $100 a year to operate, On average, four homes save $470 a year. And they heat water faster than electric resistance water heaters, which are used in half of all homes across the country.
This is one of the most achievable outcomes on our decarbonization journey as they have relatively low upfront costs (especially with the new tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act) and can be achieved within 2-3 years. Payback through energy savings.
The problem is that almost no one thinks of their water heater or think of it as a knight in shining armor saving money and the climate. So while HPWH sales grew by 7% from 2020 to 2021 (from 104,000 to 112,000 units), they still account for less than 2% of the 8 million water heaters sold each year.
We’ve got some work to do, so we need a day dedicated to low-grade water heaters. Let’s take a look at this revolutionary technology! On October 26, hundreds of organizations will celebrate the first Heat Pump Water Heater Day. Follow us on social media (Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram) using the #HeatPumpItUp hashtag to share your HPWH resources, products, expertise, projects, and ideas about why you think this technology is a game-changer. Go to bit.ly/HeatPumpItUp to learn more and find free sample posts here.
Finally, if the sight of an overly enthusiastic nerd in a suit pretending to be a heat pump water heater turns you on—well, I did that too.
Your two heat pump friends. Reassign Sam Kalish of America as Mr. Heat Pump and me as the friendly heat pump water heater.
Pump up the heat pump water heater. Even give a hug if you have and share with others on Heat Pump Water Heater Day on October 26th!
Joe lives in Portland, Oregon and works for the nonprofit New Building Institute, which promotes electric and decarbonized buildings. He also volunteered at Electrify Now because he believes that electrifying everything from vehicles to homes is the fastest path to a fair, clean energy future. Of course, Joe and his family live in an all-electric home and drive an electric car.
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