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

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.