Electric Heat Pumps: The Full Story
Can all-electric heating stand up to a NJ winter?
Right now, households across New Jersey have a great mix of energy sources for heating their homes, warming up their water, fueling their cars, cooking their food and powering a range of crucial appliances. Some people argue that this energy choice should be eliminated and replaced with a one-size-fits-all “electric heat for everyone” plan that relies on electric heat pump systems for year-round home comfort.
In places with dry, mild weather, a electric heat pump (or a few) can be a reasonable solution for heating and cooling your home. In climates like New Jersey’s, however, heating homes exclusively with electric heat pumps is simply not practical for most people.
In a frigid cold snap in December 2022, PJM our grid operator, told us to turn down our thermostats and turn off Christmas lights. And demand has only increased due to AI data centers.
How electric heat pumps work in today’s homes
A electric heat pump, powered by electricity, uses a mechanical-compression cycle to heat and cool your home. It consists of an indoor air handler and an outdoor unit, similar to a central A/C. Refrigerant circulates between the two, either transferring outdoor heat indoors during cold weather or absorbing heat indoors during hot weather and moving it outside.
Electric heat pumps can be useful in certain limited roles. They offer good air conditioning in warm months and supplemental heat when it’s not too cold outside. If you have an individual room or a detached space that receives only periodic use, a ductless electric heat pump system may be a viable option.
The problem arises when you need your electric heat pump as a primary heating source. Since these systems depend on outdoor heat to warm up homes, they can struggle on the coldest days of the year — when you need them to work the most. Heating providers and trusted sources like Consumer Reports advise homeowners in places with cold winters (like our part of the country) to have a backup heating source such as a furnace or a boiler.
When you consider that the cost to convert a home from traditional heating to a electric heat pump system can exceed $20,000, this is a big household expense for less than reliable comfort.
Strain on our overburdened grid
The power grids in our country are dealing with higher demand than ever before. Not only are electric vehicles becoming more prevalent, but we’re seeing a massive burden on our electric infrastructure from energy-sucking data centers that power AI and cloud computing.
Shifting New Jersey’s home heating to electricity en masse before the grid can accommodate it will create an unreasonable strain. Today, the risk of blackouts in the Northeast is most concentrated in the summer, when home cooling equipment places more demand on the grid. Widespread electrification of New Jersey’s heating equipment could create additional spikes in grid demand during the coldest parts of the year.
The Wall Street Journal article “The Electrification of Everything: What You Need to Know” addresses the concern that we are not yet ready for electrification at the scale being proposed.
In this article, Amy Myers Jaffe, research projector and the managing director of the Climate Policy Lab at Tufts University says “If we’re going to rely much more on electricity, we need to know the grid isn’t going to break down. Right now, we don’t know that, even for today’s level of demand.”
Moving forward with energy policy that preserves choice for NJ families:
No two homes are the same, which is why families deserve real choice in how they heat, run and power their homes. Policies that restrict options don’t just limit flexibility; they drive up costs for heating, transportation, cooking and everyday living, putting added strain on households that can least afford it.
Let’s work together to keep our homes comfortable and safe while supporting the affordability and well-being of New Jersey families. Contact us to share your concerns or ask questions about heating alternatives in your part of the state.