Getting these climate superheroes into more US homes would massively cut emissions, and it would be cost-effective. Here’s how the revolution would play out.
  • @[email protected]English
    3•10 months ago

    I’m building a new house soon, and looked heavily into this. Live in USDA zone 5 Midwest.

    First, like many have mention, I MUST keep gas furnace to handle the few weeks of -10F we have.

    SECOND - the cost of gas is SO CHEAP, and electricity SO HIGH - that it ALWAYS costs more to run the heat pump. Even adjusting the heat pump range.

    I couldn’t justify spending $10k more on the house, just to spend more on monthly bills.

    My gas is like $7/mmbtu, and electricity $0.20/kwh.

    • @[email protected]OPM
      7•10 months ago

      Given the large number of gas export terminals already approved and under construction, I’m expecting US gas prices to at least double over the next few years, bringing them up to match the international LNG price.

      • thejevans
        5•10 months ago

        To add to this, I work in Oil and Gas regulation. Unless you’re in Texas, prices are gonna go up.

        • @[email protected]English
          1•10 months ago

          hmm… maybe i should see just how much money switching to heat pumps is. it’ll 10-15 years before they’d need replaced naturally

    • FenrirIII
      3•10 months ago

      Is solar an option to offset the cost?

      • @[email protected]English
        3•10 months ago

        actually, I did the math!

        • gas only (96% eff), plus SEER 13 A/C - annual heating/cooling $2000
        • gas + heat pump (w/ SEER 17ish) - annual heating/cooling about $2800 / yr
        • gas only again, but with solar that “matches” annual electric on cooling only - $700/yr
        • gas/heatpump/solar “do all the things” around $800/yr

        SO

        • if my goal is to spend the least amount of money over < 15 years - do nothing
        • if my goal is to spend the least amoutn of money over > 15 years - just add solar
        • if my goal is to minimize my carbon footprint at all costs - do all the things

        the “matches cooling electric” comments means that I sized the panels such that the excess generated in the summer, balances out the deficit in the winter, for solar generation of household electricity. During the winter, there’s no heating/cooling electric in the ‘gas only’ mode

        edit2

        I should mention that, while not major consumers, i AM opting for electric induction range and electric dryer, even though the builder acted like I was weird. most midwest states, outside Chicago city & maybe Minnesota or Iowa, aren’t all that progressive on this stuff

      • bruhbeans
        2•10 months ago

        In winter, depending on snow, latitude and the size of the system, solar may not help. I have a 6kW system, which offsets my AC use in the summer (about 1mWh generated in June and July), but I get very little at a 42 degree north latitude, usually less than 100kWh in January and December. There was one February recently where the system was covered in snow all month and I generated a goose-egg.