A “Code red for humanity” report was issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in August 2021. The report noted the continued rise in GHG emissions and the concomitant adverse impacts on “all major climate system components” across the globe. For a reality check, one need only observe the local or regional weather and the floods, droughts, and excessive heat warnings. The IPCC report goes on to state:
Stabilizing the climate will require strong, rapid, and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and reaching net zero CO2 emissions. Id.
Given this challenge, is there anything I can do to have a high positive impact on reducing GHG emissions? After doing some research into my options, one of several actions I took at the personal level, in a cold climate, is to install and run a cold climate air source heat pump (ccASHP).
Many non-legal questions have been directed to me about the ccASHP, so I offer some reflections after using it through three heating and cooling seasons. In a nutshell, there is no furnace for those -21 degree F winter days and nights, so the natural gas line was cut and capped. This is where the strong, rapid and sustained reduction in GHG emissions enters.
In addition to being more efficient than a furnace or air conditioner, my ccASHP is also powered by electricity generated with wind and solar energy. In the heating season, the ccASHP simply transfers heat from outside to indoors. The system works in reverse to provide cooling during the hot, humid days. Bottom line: comfort during the heating and cooling seasons while using a very efficient heat transfer system that operates with carbon free energy.
The U.S. Department of Energy provides a good overview of heat pumps and some technical details (see, e.g., https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/air-source-heat-pumps ).
Imagine the impact millions of these systems can have on efforts to reduce GHG emissions. For a September 14, 2023, DOE market update on the role of financial incentives and the use of the Defense Production Act, use this link to register for a DOE presentation: https://www.energy.gov/eere/better-buildings-residential-network/events/heat-pumps-unprecedented-incentives-where-are-we?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
To learn more about my ccASHP or other opportunities to leverage the new legal landscape for energy efficiency and renewables, feel free to contact me.
