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The Russian invasion and subsequent destruction of Ukraine by the Russians has created a crisis in Europe that has led to a push for climate action. While hopes for peace rely on the harsh sanctions placed on Russia, these financial measures are undermined every day by the natural gas which, even now, flows through Ukrainian pipelines from Russia to the rest of Europe. It’s no exaggeration to suggest that the reliance on Russian gas is helping them stay in the war.
This is why many European countries have made recent commitments to decarbonize their energy sectors. These goals are not only achievable but also realistic. France announced this week its intention. In five years, stop importing Russian oil or gasWhile Germany It was able to accelerate its goal100% renewable electricity until 2035 Many European countriesThese leaps are dependent upon one key component: heat pump, which is just beginning to be a critical piece of the energy infrastructure.
The European energy crisis raises the question of whether these measures could work in the United States. Heat pumps could be key to climate action in Minnesota, given the interconnectedness of the global energy market.
Heating and cooling systems
Simply put: Heat pumpsThese machines use electricity to heat and cool, and transfer heat from one source. They come in many sizes and types. They typically use water or air that can be above or beneath ground. They can also work at large and small scales. They’re not that common in Minnesota because for many years the technology worked better in warmer climates, but that has begun to change.
International Energy Agency
“In colder climates, we’ve seen really good progress,” said Margaret Cherne-Hendrick, Director of Energy Transition at Fresh Energy (a St. Paul-based non-profit). “Heat pumps can do both heating and cooling, so a lot of folks in older homes started to install heat pumps to serve their cooling load. The technology continues to advance really rapidly.”
As Cherne-Hendrick describes, the “cold climate cutoff” has steadily declined in recent years, so that new pumps can often work in below-zero temperatures.
Heat pumps are not magic bullets. They are only useful in homes or offices that have been well insulated, energy efficient and have modern windows and doors that allow for smaller-scale technology to be used. For most Minnesota homeowners, that’s the most important step. (Here’s a good starting pointFor a home energy audit.
“For existing building stock, especially older buildings, they are not as energy efficient as they should be,” explained Cherne-Hendrick. “We have the Conservation Improvement Program, and state goals set forth in statute to improve energy efficient. Without buildings that are as energy efficient as possible, it’s really hard to get through those handful of polar vortex days with an air source heat pump alone.”
Heat pumps can be used in new or renovated buildings. These heat pumps can be a crucial piece of the puzzle that allows Minnesotans to shift toward all-electric buildings, and eliminate fossil fuels from our built environment.
“There’s no reason we can’t build new construction to the point where the building energy performance standard is high enough to accommodate air source heat pumps,” said Cherne-Hendrick. “What’s limiting there is that our building codes are not as robust as they should be. We need to be operating at a scale and speed that outpaces what can be done by individual home and building owners.”
A heat pump in action
But just because it’s difficult, doesn’t mean individuals cannot adopt heat pump technology. In fact, they’re becoming more common.
“Ours has run every single day this winter, and never not worked,” said Matt Privratsky, who owns a home in St. Paul’s Hamline-Midway neighborhood. “There are studies that say they work best to 20 below, but colder than that’s been fine, and we run it the whole time.”
Privratsky and his partner purchased a home where the boiler and water heater were in their last days while they were looking for one. They planned to purchase a heat pump system as well as other upgrades. They replaced their windows and insulate their home shortly thereafter, allowing them the opportunity to move to an all-electric carbon footprint.
Photo by Matt Privratsky “One of the crazier parts: now I realize the tons of spots in my house where the radiators covered up a wall for 70 years,” said Privratsky.
“It’s just the same as with any big energy improvement,” Privratsky said. “You really want to spend the time and money to add in insulation and do air sealing. That helps the system run a lot easier and it’s always still the best thing anyone can do to fix places that need it.”
The result is an all-electric home that uses no natural gas, thanks to the Privratskys substantial investment of around $15,000 to $20,000 Their heat pump system has four different “heads” that can be turned on and off depending on which parts of the house are being used. The heat pumps are also more efficient at cooling the home during hot summer days.
“The best way to think of it: it’s doing both air conditioning and a furnace at once,” Privratsky explained. “Math wise, it’s way more than just furnace or air conditioning. And it’s a lot more efficient than those other appliances.”
Energy independence
Readers of a certain age will remember the catch-all term “Energy independence”, referring to the desire to stop using foreign oil in American daily life. It doesn’t take much imagination to connect the dots between various American wars and global oil and natural gas supplies, but the link is rarely as clear as the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The United States has increased its national oil and gas production, partly due to widespread fracking. However, it is urgent to decarbonize the country just like in Europe. Instead of calling for gas tax holidays or increased offshore drilling, American policymakers should focus on aggressive decarbonization funding.
The European Union should not be the only one making efforts to embrace heat pumps in new constructions, update building codes and invest in insulation. In the Minnesota House, legislation has been introducedThis would create a tax credit to offset heat pump costs, which would lower the financial barrier for all. Similar to the New York State pilot project,You might be able to offer a Good model for Minnesota, proving that the United States can also handicap fossil fuel dictatorships by moving off of oil and gas.
