Heating buildings is one of the hardest climate problems to solve, especially in cold regions that rely heavily on oil and gas. Heat pumps are a solution as they promise lower emissions and long-term savings, but high upfront costs can be a deterrent for many.
Backed by federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, five New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island) are coordinating a $450-million effort to accelerate heat-pump adoption across the region.
Katie Dykes, commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, suggests “It’s unprecedented to see five states aligning together on a transformational approach to deploying more-affordable clean-heat options.”
Rather than relying solely on consumer rebates, the program focuses on reshaping markets: lowering prices upstream, supporting contractors and distributors, and testing new adoption solutions through regional “hubs.”
In a region where fossil-fuel heating is deeply entrenched (the use of oil as heating is generally higher than the national average), there is a lot of opportunity for success.
The end goal is to install as many as 500,000 heat pumps in the region within the next few years.
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