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Room Heat Pumps – An Update for 2026
Recorded June 23, 2026 – Room Heat Pumps are an emerging variant on the classic room air conditioner. The key difference is that new systems have defrost capability and can operate at temperatures below zero Fahrenheit. This presentation covers an update on current products in the market and high-level findings from field studies conducted in…
Residential -
Tri-Mode Heat Pumps
The tri-mode heat pump is a new type of residential heat pump solution that can provide space heating and cooling and domestic water heating from a single outdoor unit feeding multiple indoor units. The goal of this study was to understand the current market landscape for tri-mode heat pumps and how they compare to standard…
Residential -
End-Use Load Flexibility: Connected Water Heater Study
Since 2023 in Washington and 2025 in Oregon, state regulations have required electric storage water heaters with capacities of 40–120 gallons to include an EcoPort®, enabling direct communication with the water heater through the ANSI/CTA-2045 standard. As adoption of EcoPort-enabled water heaters increases, utilities have a growing opportunity to leverage these devices as flexible grid…
Residential -
HVAC Installation Contractor Market Research
The Northwest Energy Alliance (NEEA) contracted with Evergreen Economics to conduct qualitative research with residential HVAC contractors across Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The study sought to understand how heat pumps are selected, installed, and configured in real-world practice. Through focus groups and in-depth interviews, research examined contractor perspectives on connected commissioning, cold-climate heat pumps, auxiliary electric resistance…
Residential -
How Data Drives Market Transformation
For NEEA, data has always been a vital part of Market Transformation. And as the alliance moves deeper into Cycle 7, the role of data is evolving. Having better data allows NEEA to ask sharper questions, identify barriers earlier, and pinpoint the most effective points of intervention.
Commercial + Industrial|Residential -
Q2 2026 RETAC Agenda Packet
The Regional Emerging Technology Advisory Committee (RETAC) will hold their second quarterly meeting of 2026 on June 17th. Topics will include a review of the research around heat pumps conducted by the Electric Power Research Institute, as well as an overview of current projects by the Emerging Technologies Collaborative (ETC), which is part of the…
Commercial + Industrial|Residential -
Q2 2026 RCC Agenda Packet
The Q2 committee meeting will focus on key regional heat pump initiatives, including a review of draft resources from the NW Heat Pump Symposium, NEEA’s proposed draft of the Advanced Heat Pump specification highlighted at Efficiency Exchange, and discussion on the RTF’s “Minimizing Supplemental Heat” measure development, facilitated by Sr. Program Manager Suzi Asmus. The…
Residential -
Variable Speed Heat Pump Load Flexibility Modeling
Variable speed heat pumps (VSHP) and cold climate air source heat pumps (ccASHP) have gained increased attention for their potential to support utility end-use load flexibility programs while maintaining customer comfort. VSHPs can be programmed to respond to grid signals, adjusting unit energy consumption by varying the compressor and fan speeds. Very limited data are available to quantify VSHP…
Residential