Costs and Emissions Calculator: Heat pumps as an alternative for Minnesotans

CEE developed a 计算器 to demonstrate how 能源 costs and electric grid composition affect residential 加热 system performance in Minnesota’s climate. A user can compare the cost and carbon emissions of different technologies under various future scenarios. The following summary offers background information on the factors that go into the 计算器 and explores some of the key results. 

查看碳计算器
 

什么是公平的电气化?

Electrification refers to a transition from carbon-intensive services that our economy relies on (for transportation, 加热, 行业, 以及更多)脱碳电力技术. 公平的 electrification* ensures this transition happens in planned, 管理的步骤 that allow the benefits and costs to be equitably distributed across society — yielding savings in costs, 能源, and emissions and avoiding the creation of new grid infrastructure.

The sources from which we generated electricity have shifted dramatically in Minnesota over the past 20 years. Wind and solar now make up 20% of Minnesota's electric generation. 煤炭发电量下降, and upcoming retirements of numerous large coal plants have been announced. Consequently, electricity on Minnesota's grid is much cleaner than it has been in the past. 
 

什么是冷气候空气源热泵?

Air source heat pumps transfer heat between the outside air and the inside of a building, 类似于冰箱的工作原理. Air source heat pumps can use that heat transfer ability both to cool buildings in the summer and to heat buildings in the winter. They use considerably less 能源 than other equipment used to heat or cool spaces, making them an efficient option for space conditioning. 在过去, air source heat pumps have struggled to perform in cold temperatures, but recent technology advancements have improved their ability to transfer heat even in Minnesota’s winters — however, homes should still have a backup system for especially cold days. 
 

空气源热泵成本和碳节约

Below are the 计算器’s preliminary results for the lifetime costs and emissions of air source heat pumps compared to other 加热 options. We encourage you to run different scenarios to explore various cost and emissions outputs. 

中东欧的 计算器 免费使用并向所有人开放. 这 简短的视频 explains how to use the tool and may be helpful to watch before getting started. There is a survey within the tool to allow user feedback. 
 

运营成本

Below are average lifetime 能源 costs for various systems with assumed fuel costs of $0.每热天然气70美元.每千瓦时13美元，每千瓦时1美元.丙烷每加仑6美元. A natural gas furnace has the lowest lifetime operating cost to heat a home. 然而, for homes with electric resistance or propane as the primary 加热 source, a cold-climate air source heat pump with electric or propane backup is the more cost-effective solution.