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Tag: Heat pumps

  • British Churches Are Putting Their Faith in Heat Pumps

    In many churches, often strapped for cash, the switch to a heat pump may be borne from necessity. Staff at St. Peter Mancroft Church in Norwich, which already had solar panels, opted to make the jump to a heat pump system when one of their old gas boilers failed.

    “The church decided this was a good time to try and commit to it,” says Nicholas Jackson, from architectural design firm Nicholas Vanburgh Ltd. Jackson is also a fabric officer for the church. Last year, two table-like, upward-facing air source heat pumps were installed in a small yard next to the 15th-century building. These connect to an Edwardian cast iron radiator system, and the heat pumps are currently running at a COP of 4.

    The church also opted for a battery storage system. Jackson says he’s still unsure of exactly how the heat pumps will cope during a really cold spell—one gas boiler remains as a backup.

    “We were very blessed to be one of the early adopters on some of this stuff,” says Reverend Edward Carter, the vicar. He adds that within the church is an “Earth Chapel,” intended to focus Christian minds on the importance of the environment. “We’re trying to say something to the City of Norwich here, and maybe to the wider world,” says Carter.

    Churches are far from the only community-centric buildings in the UK currently reengineering how they do things. Village halls, covered markets, and public transport hubs are also, in some cases, putting in solar panels, LED lighting, and electric-powered heating systems.

    For certain believers, though, the spiritual component of decarbonization is key. There’s something deeper at work here, and perhaps enthusiasm like this could accelerate society’s broader transition towards cleaner technologies. Knott’s opinion is that Christians should be motivated, by scripture itself, to look after the planet.

    “We’re not jumping on the bandwagon,” he says. “This has been a message for 2,000 years.”

    Chris Baraniuk

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  • New government program offers major HVAC incentives to mobile home owners: ‘This is a more affordable pathway for many folks’

    A sizable portion of electricity bills is allocated for heating and cooling, which can be a significant burden for low-income households. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, one in four of these households puts upward of 15% of its income toward energy.

    New York’s Ulster County is taking action to alleviate this burden. As the Times Union reported, the county legislature approved a $194,000 contract with the nonprofit Ulster County Community Action to assist low-income residents in Ulster and Sullivan Counties in replacing their outdated HVAC systems with electric heat pumps.

    Able to keep indoor temperatures comfortable year-round, heat pumps are up to five times more efficient than traditional heating systems, which are heavily reliant on expensive fossil fuels like propane. All in all, upgrading to a heat pump is one of the best ways to drastically slash energy bills.

    However, these next-gen heating and cooling wonders can be pricier to install than conventional HVAC systems — even though they provide long-term savings. This upfront cost can put them out of reach for households that could benefit the most from this financial boost.

    Mitsubishi is a trusted brand that makes it easy for consumers to find the right heat pumps for their homes. It offers a variety of heat pumps, including cost-effective mini-split systems.

    Now, Ulster County’s latest program will provide extra assistance to residents who own their mobile homes and earn up to 80% of the area’s median income.

    While the heat pump rebate program remains intact through 2031 or until funding is exhausted, federal tax credits for heat pumps and many other green upgrades end Dec. 31.

    Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger told the Times Union that this sooner-than-expected expiration date for Inflation Reduction Act support made the future of the Mobile Home Resilience Grants program uncertain, pushing her to advocate for further investments in this and similar initiatives.

    Carole Furman, Ulster County Community Action’s weatherization and EmPower+ services director, said she expects the new contract to assist at least 12 mobile homes whose furnaces are ready for replacement with the transition to heat pumps.

    “It’s going to very much improve comfort because many mobile homes often don’t have cooling, and they’re often poorly insulated. With climate change [and] more days of extreme heat and humidity, it’s dangerous not to be able to cool off,” Metzger explained.

    “This is a more affordable pathway for many folks who are living in mobile manufactured homes to upgrade their energy systems to make them cleaner, more reliable, resilient, and more affordable from month to month,” she added.

    If you don’t live in Ulster County or are ineligible for program assistance, reaching out to a trusted brand — like Mitsubishi, which can connect you with vetted contractors in its network — before federal incentives expire could help you minimize your heat pump installation costs.

    Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.

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  • Officials tap into limitless underground energy source to power massive new project: ‘Our energy future is happening right now’

    Developers of a business district near Hayden, Colorado, have an underground incentive to lure potential companies to the area.

    The Northwest Colorado Business District is tapping sustainable geothermal energy to provide cost-effective heating and cooling for enterprises that move into the planned 117.1-acre project, according to Inside Climate News and Hayden officials.

    “Our energy future is happening right now — right here in Hayden,” Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper said in a statement published by ICN.

    Geothermal energy taps steady temperatures under Earth’s surface that can be used to heat and cool buildings, depending on the season. For some, mile-deep holes provide steam-inducing heat that can even be used to power electricity generators, according to the Energy Information Administration. The Department of Energy added that the United States leads the world in geothermal electricity, making enough to power three million homes.

    In Hayden, Texas-based Bedrock Energy will be using drilling tricks learned from the oil and gas industry to bore dozens of holes 1,000 feet into the crust. Temperatures in the shallower boreholes range from 51 degrees Fahrenheit to 64 degrees near the bottom. Pipes will funnel the steady thermal energy to buildings in the industrial park, where heat pumps will help with temperature management, all according to ICN.

    The cleaner-energy project is important for Hayden’s 2,000 residents on multiple fronts. The town’s coal-fired power plant is scheduled to shut down, representing lost jobs and tax revenue. But officials hope to fill the void with new businesses leveraging the cleaner geothermal opportunity that can provide reliable, cheaper indoor climate control. The plan also aligns with the state’s environmental goals, unlocking certain funding streams to make it all possible. About $600,000 in Colorado grants were secured for the project, ICN reported.

    Better yet, it all comes without heat-trapping air pollution that is fumed by dirty fuels, linked by NASA to greater risks for extreme temperatures that are already setting records. Experts fear some places may even become uninhabitable. The overheating is even life-threatening in some places.

    “We’re creating the infrastructure to attract employers, support local jobs, and give our community reliable, cost-effective heating and cooling for decades to come,” town manager Mathew Mendisco said in ICN’s story.

    Officials in the report added that geothermal will protect the businesses from high energy costs incurred by fossil fuels in Colorado’s often extreme weather. The system will be owned by the town, and businesses will be connected to the larger network as the district grows, according to the story.

    Geothermal is going deeper elsewhere. Massachusetts’ Quaise Energy intends to drill 12 miles into the ground to tap an energy source with a million-year lifespan. Nigerian officials are also eyeing underground heat to relieve their unreliable power grid.

    At home, air source heat pumps are a way to upgrade your HVAC system without digging in the ground. There are a variety of systems, and experts at Mitsubishi can help you find the right one, as well as an installer from its trusted network. Fast action can secure tax breaks worth up to $2,000 that expire at the end of the year due to federal policy changes.

    ICN reported that more projects like the one in Hayden are being considered or developed across Colorado and the country, with utility companies being a unique developer that can take on the costs and generate revenue through ratepayer fees.

    Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.

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  • Everyone’s Pumped About Heat Pumps

    Everyone’s Pumped About Heat Pumps

    Lauren Goode: Yeah. You recommended a podcast episode with her too.

    Michael Calore: I did, yeah.

    Lauren Goode: Was it the Fresh Air one?

    Michael Calore: Yeah. To you. Yeah. Yeah, because you were like, “Who is Kathleen Hannah?” I’m like, “Oh, you got to check her out.” So yeah, I think she was on another podcast last week. Anyway, the book is brand-new. You can get it as an ebook or an audiobook. She reads it, and if you’re a Spotify Premium subscriber, I think you can listen to it as part of your subscription, so I would recommend doing that. That’s how I’m enjoying it, in her voice.

    Matt Simon: I think I saw that at Green Apple actually.

    Michael Calore: Yeah.

    Matt Simon: San Francisco local people might be able to find it there.

    Michael Calore: Yes.

    Matt Simon: You should be there. Anyway. It’s a great bookstore.

    Lauren Goode: Oh yeah. We just walked by it the other day.

    Michael Calore: Yeah, it’s the best. One of the best in the world.

    Lauren Goode: You had a great story about the book that you let go.

    Michael Calore: Oh, yeah.

    Lauren Goode: And it came back to you.

    Michael Calore: Yeah. Between the Clock and the Bed?

    Lauren Goode: That’s right.

    Michael Calore: Edvard Munch. Yeah. That’s a boring story though.

    Lauren Goode: I enjoyed it.

    Michael Calore: Glad you did.

    Lauren Goode: Yeah.

    Michael Calore: What is your recommendation?

    Lauren Goode: My recommendation, I just came up with this, because I came into the studio today without one prepared. Staycations.

    Michael Calore: Say more.

    Matt Simon: You mean as a concept or as a piece of media?

    Lauren Goode: Oh, as a concept. Is there a piece of media called Staycations?

    Matt Simon: I don’t know.

    Lauren Goode: Is that like a magazine? We should start one.

    Matt Simon: Yeah.

    Lauren Goode: I like that idea. It’s a great time in media to be starting magazines. Staycation, so I have a good friend who has been loaning me access to her home office, and it’s great because it is not far from where I live, but sometimes on weekends I go there and it’s a different perspective. It’s a different place. I’m not thinking about laundry or cleaning or to-do’s or whatever I have to order from Amazon.com or whatever it is. I’m away, but I’m not far, and I really appreciate that. It’s been really head clearing. I’m also working on a book, so it’s helpful for that. I mean, that’s the primary thing.

    But then also in the past couple months, I’ve had the opportunity to stay just north of here, like 30 minutes, and so I’m away, but I’m not away away, and it’s great. It’s just, get away for a staycation if you can. If you have the means, if you have friends who are saying, “Hey, I need someone to pet sit,” or “Do you want to take over my house for a weekend?” Or something like that. Just do it. Stay local, but just get a totally different perspective on where you live, your neighborhood, the people around you, try new restaurants, new venues, just yeah, do a staycation if you can.

    WIRED Staff

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  • Donald Trump just did Europe a favor

    Donald Trump just did Europe a favor


    OK, now what?

    The truth is, Europe only has itself to blame for the morass. Trump has been harping on about NATO’s laggards for years, but he hardly invented the genre. American presidents going back to Dwight D. Eisenhower have complained about European allies freeloading on American defense.

    What Europeans don’t like to hear is that Trump has a point: They have been freeloading. What’s more, it was always unrealistic to expect the U.S. to pick pick up the tab for European security ad infinitum.

    After Trump lost to Biden in 2020, its seemed like everything had gone back to normal, however. Biden, a lifelong transatlanticist, sought to repair the damage Trump did to NATO by letting the Europeans slide back into their comfort zone.  

    Even though overall defense spending has increased in recent years in Europe — as it should have, considering Russia’s war on Ukraine — it’s still nowhere near enough. Only 11 of NATO’s 31 members are expected to meet the spending target in 2023, for example, according to NATO’s own data. Germany, the main target of Trump’s ire, has yet to achieve the 2 percent mark. It’s likely to this year, however, if only because its economy is contracting.

    The truth is, Europe was lulled back into a false sense of security by Biden’s warm embrace. Instead of going on a war footing by forcing industry to ramp up armament production and reinstating conscription in countries like Germany where it was phased out, Europe nestled itself in Americas skirts.





    Matthew Karnitschnig

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