Heat Pumps: Air-source and Ground-source - How do they Work?

Heat pumps, like air conditioners or refrigerators, use electricity to move heat from a cool space to a warm space, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer.

Air-Source Heat Pumps take heat from the outside air (even when it is cold outside), and work well for homes and apartment buildings of all sizes. There are incentives offered through utilities to help cover the cost of equipment and installation, as well as additional ones for income-eligible households. Learn more about air-source heat pumps in this video from NYSERDA and on the NYS Clean Heat site.

And this video from This Old House explains the magic behind heat pumps—how heat can be extracted from cold air!

Ground-Source Heat Pumps, also known as geothermal, remove heat from underground, and are more efficient than air source heat pumps. There are three separate incentives for ground-source heat pumps.

Heat pumps can be carbon neutral if paired with solar panels, or if you purchase green energy through your energy supplier. Read more about heat pumps here and here and explore NYSERDA’s Heat Pump Planner.

BIOMASS:

WOOD & WOOD PELLET

WHAT IS BIOMASS?

The term "biomass" describes biological material that is derived from living or recently living things. There are many different uses for biomass, but most of the focus on biomass follows one of two paths: bioproducts and bioenergy. In a very general sense, it could be minimally processed and used as mulch or as animal bedding. Most of the time when we speak about biomass, we are referring to the plant-based side of it. 

Bioproducts include a whole collection of things that can be derived from processed biomass. Most of the products made from petroleum can be made from biomass, including plastics, certain cosmetics, glues, antifreeze, and an enormous number of chemicals essential to modern life.

Bioenergy is energy derived from biomass. The biomass can be burned; allowed to decompose to where it releases methane and other gases that can be burned; or it can be digested and the products, including combustible gases, collected. Burning it releases heat, which can be used simply to heat a space, or it can be used to produce steam which can power turbines to produce energy. Among the useful bioenergy products, the most common are cordwood, pellet wood, ethanol, and biodiesel.

While burning firewood in a stove has been done for centuries, modern wood stoves have significantly reduced the amount of air pollution and can often heat a whole home--if it's been weatherized. Pellets are made from sawdust and low-quality trees, and, like wood, can be used to heat a whole house. There are many pellet mills in New York State.

Fossil fuels, by contrast, are not renewable--we have to continue to tap a finite resource each time we need more--and using them puts carbon into the atmosphere that was otherwise sequestered away deep in the earth.

For more information on how biomass is converted to useful products, The U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has a good primer on the subject at their site.

Wood. While burning firewood in a stove has been done for centuries, modern wood stoves have significantly reduced the amount of air pollution and can often heat a whole home--if it's been weatherized.

Wood pellets. Pellets are made from sawdust and low-quality trees, and, like wood, can be used to heat a whole house. There are many pellet mills in the Mohawk Valley region. NYSERDA offers a $1,500-2,500 rebate on pellet stoves for residences that are not served by natural gas.

NYS Rebates

New York State and utility companies are offering rebates to install air- and ground-source heat pumps through the NYS Clean Heat program. Rebates are paid directly to participating contractors who lower the cost to you.

Rebate amounts can vary depending on where you live, the size and configuration of the system being installed, and whether or not you are decommissioning your existing system. If you are considering switching to heat pumps, follow these steps to make a more informed decision:

1. Explore NYSERDA’s Heat Pump Planner and the NYS Clean Heat Buyer’s Guide to learn about your options.

2. Find a participating contractor. We recommend getting quotes from two or more contractors.

3. Consult with an Energy Advisor to compare your proposals and discuss what to expect from each system, such as estimated monthly and annual savings and changes to your fuel and electric bills.

4. Energy Advisors can also help guide you through the different financing options New York State can offer to complete the project.

Interested?

We recommend getting a few quotes from local heating contractors. Or contact one of our Community Energy Advisors. We are not salespeople and we are here to help!

Also, you may be interested in NYSERDA Clean Heating & Cooling campaigns, which provide third-party information on heat pumps and energy efficiency, a list of vetted contractors, and upfront pricing.