Clean Energy 101: Heat Pumps

This guide explains the technology, efficiency, and types of heat pumps, highlighting their ability to provide both heating and cooling while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality compared to traditional fossil fuel systems.

• Heat pumps differ from traditional HVAC systems by providing both heating and cooling functions and by moving heat rather than generating it through electric resistance or fossil fuel combustion. This mechanism allows them to produce more than four times the heat energy in kWh than the electricity they consume, leading to lower operating costs than electric resistance heaters and better performance than gas furnaces.
• There are several types of heat pump systems: air-source heat pumps move heat between indoor and outdoor air, while ground-source heat pumps use the stable temperature of the ground as the heat exchange medium, which is particularly effective for very cold climates. These systems can be installed as ducted systems or as ductless 'mini-split' systems with multiple indoor units for zoned control.
• Beyond space heating and cooling, heat pump technology is used in appliances such as dryers and high-efficiency water heaters. In the United States, top-performing heat pump water heaters are four times more efficient than conventional water heaters by harvesting heat from ambient air in areas like utility rooms or garages.
• While upfront costs have been a barrier, heat pumps are increasingly viable in cold climates due to technological advances and are used in climate action plans in US states such as Maine and Colorado. In Wisconsin, RMI analysis indicates heat pumps can save households hundreds of dollars annually compared to propane or electric furnaces. Additionally, building new all-electric homes is generally cheaper than mixed-fuel homes because gas infrastructure for a single-family home can cost approximately $5,000.
• Replacing fossil fuel combustion with heat pumps improves health by eliminating indoor risks of gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning. This transition also benefits outdoor air quality; the document cites a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health study stating that fossil fuel air pollution causes one in five deaths globally.

APA

RMI (2022). Clean Energy 101: Heat Pumps. https://rmi.org/resources/clean-energy-101-heat-pumps/

Chicago

RMI. Clean Energy 101: Heat Pumps. 2022. https://rmi.org/resources/clean-energy-101-heat-pumps/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Clean Energy 101: Heat Pumps |date=12 July 2022 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/clean-energy-101-heat-pumps/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2022clean, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Clean Energy 101: Heat Pumps}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2022}, month = jul, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/clean-energy-101-heat-pumps/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }