Fact sheets
Renewable-ready heating in New York State
Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pump Fact Sheet
Our Study
“Making Residential Heating and Cooling Climate-Friendly in New York State” by Dr. Arjun Makhijani of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research.
Studies By Others
Driving the Heat Pump Market: Lessons Learned from the Northeast (2018) by NRDC and the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation – reviews the policy, regulatory, and program frameworks in Northeast states – New England plus New York – to identify the key factors driving program success and overcoming barriers to air source heat pump adoption.
Northeastern Regional Assessment of Strategic Electrification (2017) by Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships – looks at heat pumps’ key role in meeting regional GHG goals.
Environmentally beneficial electrification: The dawn of ‘emissions efficiency’ (2016) by Keith Dennis, Ken Colburn, and Jim Lazar discusses heat pumps’ role in contributing to emissions efficiency.
Representative Building Energy Study by Taitem Engineering – finds heat pumps result in cheaper energy costs in Ithaca, NY
Greenhouse gas emissions from domestic hot water: heat pumps compared to most commonly used systems by Hong and Howarth (2016) – finding that heat pump water heaters are an effective and economically viable way of reducing emissions of GHGs.
Methane emissions and climatic warming risk from hydraulic fracturing and shale gas development: implications for policy (Howarth 2015) which supports replacing in-building use of natural gas for domestic space and water heating with high-efficiency heat pumps.
“Even if the electricity that drives these heat pumps comes from coal, the greenhouse gas emissions are far less than from the direct use of natural gas.” (Howarth 2015)
Statewide Policy Development
Energy Efficiency: RHN Comments to the Public Service Commission on Beneficial Electrification and Energy Efficiency
NYSERDA Renewable Heating and Cooling Policy Framework
Local Policy Development
Proposed NYC Administrative Law Int. No. 1159 for Solar Hot Water and Thermal Energy Systems in NYC’s city-owned buildings
Rate Cases
National Grid Rate Case Order (March 15, 2018) – RHN members intervened to ensure beneficial electrification was supported with incentives.