DOE awards EPRI three-year grant to create more energy efficient hybrid heat pump

In an effort to keep up with extreme winter chills while reducing carbon emissions, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) last week provided a three-year grant to the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) in support of developing a new hybrid heat pump system.

EPRI’s proposed system, meant for both residential and commercial buildings, would combine thermoelectric heat with conventional air-source heat, allowing it to operate in temperatures below 35 degrees Fahrenheit without reducing efficiency and reliability. Traditional pumps sometimes struggle to keep up with the most extreme weather. In the process, EPRI estimates the new pump could cut U.S. carbon emissions by 65 million metric tons by 2040.

“Advanced heat pumps are a potentially transformative tool to evolve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions,” David Porter, senior director of Electrification and Sustainable Energy Strategy at EPRI, said. “As the electric industry transitions to a clean energy future, heat pumps are expected to play a key role in decarbonizing the building industry.”

Overall, the heat pump aims to reduce energy consumption in both residential and small commercial buildings by 10 percent. The project will be undertaken in coordination with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and will be performance tested throughout various U.S. climates.

“We look forward to continuing our long-standing partnership with EPRI. Working together, we will develop a new a heat pump system that both organizations anticipate will be a primary enabler or contributor to decarbonize buildings,” Joe Hagerman, ORNL’s section head for building technologies research, said. “ORNL is well suited to tackle the challenge of reducing carbon emissions with our research expertise and our deep bench strength of scientists to enable multifunctional building equipment and to leverage our national user facility capabilities.”