Bringing Together Industry Leaders: Northwest Symposium Tackles Heat Pump Challenges

Tacoma, Wash. – On October 3, 2024, 45 professionals from Northwest utilities, HVAC distribution, and manufacturing sectors gathered for the Northwest Heat Pump Symposium and Workshop. Co-facilitated by Seattle City Light, Tacoma Power, Daikin, and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA), the event aimed to address performance issues in residential heat pump installations and explore solutions to enhance their efficiency.

Recent research has shown that many heat pump installations in the region are not meeting performance expectations, which is critical for achieving a clean energy future. The symposium featured presentations from Tacoma Power, Chelan PUD, and NEEA, highlighting issues such as consumer behavior, installation quality, and product performance, and their collective impact on grid reliability and affordability.

Key Findings: 

The symposium revealed several critical insights into the current state of heat pump installations in the Northwest. These findings underscore the need for improved practices and collaboration to ensure that heat pumps deliver their promised energy efficiency benefits.

• Performance Variability: Approximately 50% of heat pump installations are successful, while 35% underperform and 15% perform poorly, leading to increased energy consumption and morning demand peaks.
• Energy Demand: Northwest power consumption is rising, with projections indicating that demand will outpace system resources by 2030 due to transportation and building-sector electrification.

Recommendations: 

Based on the key findings, the symposium participants developed a series of recommendations aimed at addressing the identified issues. These recommendations are intended to guide utilities, contractors, and manufacturers in improving heat pump performance and ensuring energy efficiency.

1. For Utilities:

• Educate customers on optimal heat pump operation and maintenance to reduce peak load impact.

• Collaborate with HVAC manufacturers to create a national specification for base heat pump models that minimize the use of supplemental electric resistance heat.

• Engage and support trade ally contractor networks to ensure proper installation practices.

1. For Contractors:

• Seek proper training to avoid oversizing heat pumps and ensure correct installation practices.

• Develop and promote industry-accepted methods for evaluating ductwork capacity and for sizing electric resistance supplemental heat.

• Use quality installation checklists and reporting mechanisms to improve installation outcomes.

1. For Manufacturers:

• Ship heat pumps with better default settings to prevent unnecessary use of electric resistance heat.

• Improve functionality and controls to optimize heat pump performance and support demand-responsive capabilities.

• Partner with utilities to transform the market for heat pumps and enhance grid benefits.

The Northwest Heat Pump Symposium and Workshop highlighted the critical need for collaboration among utilities, manufacturers, and contractors to improve heat pump performance and ensure energy efficiency. By working together and implementing the recommended actions, the region can move towards a more sustainable and efficient energy future, addressing the challenges of rising energy demand and grid reliability.

To learn more about NEEA’s Advanced Heat Pump Program or to become involved in the future Heat Pump collaborations contact us.