Full Title: Options for Decarbonizing Residential Space Heating in Cold Climates
Author(s): Steven Nadel and Lyla Fadali
Publisher(s): American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date: April 18, 2024
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
A previous ACEEE study examined all the individual homes in the 2015 Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) and found that on average for 1–4 family buildings, the lowest-cost decarbonization option was an air-source heat pump powered by a clean electric grid for locations below 6,000 heating degree days (HDD). Above 6,000 HDD, the low-cost option was a hybrid system that combines a cold climate heat pump with a fuel-fired backup system.
This new study expands this analysis by looking individually at homes in the 2020 RECS data set and adding scenarios that examine the impact of electrification and gas pipe replacement on gas distribution costs, adding ground-source heat pumps, and delving into multiple hybrid heating options for cold climates. They focus on existing homes and assume that they need to install a new heating system in 2030 when their existing heating system reaches end-of-life.