Wow, I am super glad I wandered into this thread.
I have been thinking about significantly changing my house's energy systems, but I've had a hard time finding answers to key questions. The discussions about heat pumps above already helped, but I'll try to explain my journey so far:
-I was interested in installing solar on my roof. Talked to a few companies, am currently looking at a proposal to install a 9.7kW DC array.
-I filled out the application to the Canada Greener Homes grant, and got the energy audit done.
-The top suggestion from the energy audit was to install a heat pump. Other suggestions included upgrading insulation, new windows, and some discussion about solar (amongst other things)
-At about the same time, my furnace failed an inspection (about 20 years old). Need a new furnace.
-So I've been talking to some HVAC guys about a new furnace and the potential to include a heat pump or AC (don't currently have an AC).
-I like the idea of going to a heat pump, because I could then cool my house in summer, and heat with electricity (nominally produced by my solar array) at least down to a certain temperature in winter. I also kind of need the additional electrical consumption to get my solar array approved by Enmax.
-I don't yet know what the purchase/installation cost of the heat pump would be in excess of just a standard furnace/AC system. Haven't had a ton of luck finding a company who seems knowledgeable/stoked about heat pumps. But haven't talked to too many people.
I guess some of my current questions would be:
-With the current composition of the Alberta grid, does running a heat pump make sense (from a carbon emissions standpoint) vs. heating with natural gas? I mean, sure my solar panels will help, but if I go with a heat pump, I think my net electricity consumption/production will still mean I'm buying some power from the grid. I kind of looked into this when getting an EV (I bought a plug-in hybrid), and the Alberta grid has improved enough that an EV charged off the Alberta grid is a net win for carbon emissions. But it's not a huge win. I wonder what the margin looks like for a heat pump vs. gas furnace.
-I'm kind of concerned that the heat pump will cost me more to run than natural gas (I'm still trying to digest the numbers above... will work on that). This is not a huge concern... I guess I'll have the gas furnace as a hedge if electricity prices go wild, and I'm actually more interested in the carbon emission reductions than the cost savings. Yes, I'd like this transition to save me money in the long run, but even something close to break even is okay with me.
Cool thread. If my contribution is useful, I'd be happy to talk more about some of the quotes I've got, etc.
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