CPUC Issues Research Study on Heat Pump Market
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has released a study of the State’s heat pump market to track the progress of programs and measure their future market effects. Heat pump systems provide hot water, heating and cooling using energy from the electric grid, which is increasingly renewable.
California has some of the most comprehensive and ambitious clean energy policies in the world. Direct emissions from residential and commercial buildings comprise 12 percent of California’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, largely from critical building functions such as space and water heating. The study was conducted as part of the CPUC staff’s energy efficiency evaluation efforts. The study provides an assessment of the existing heat pump market; current market adoption trends; growth potential; recommendations to accelerate heat pump market adoption for space conditioning, water heating, clothes dryers, and pool heating; and pairs an assessment of the residential new construction heat pump market with best practices and lessons learned from existing, mature heat pump programs.
Key findings from this sweeping research study include:
- Projections for significant growth in the residential new construction, space conditioning, and water heating heat pump markets over the next five years;
- Identification of knowledge gaps and training needs among trade allies to fulfill the anticipated market growth;
- Insight into contractor awareness levels of and familiarity with heat pump technologies by end use;
- Characterization of California specific heat pump equipment costs and labor costs; and,
- Existing barriers to heat pump adoption and opportunities to overcome them.
The study, which was prepared by the CPUC, in consultation with its consultant, Opinion Dynamics, is available at https://pda.energydataweb.com/#!/documents/2625/view.
The CPUC regulates services and utilities, protects consumers, safeguards the environment, and assures Californians’ access to safe and reliable utility infrastructure and services. For more information on the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.
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