A recent study found that nearly half of US households with heat pumps have some form of backup heating. This is contrary to the assumption in many decarbonization studies that once a household adopts a heat pump, they will only use it and abandon other forms of heating. The data shows that 14% of US households use heat pumps as their primary form of space heating, and among those, 45% have a backup heating system. The most common form of backup heating is electric resistance, followed by wood and fossil fuels. Additionally, many households use their backup heating systems frequently, with 20% of households using their secondary heating system only when it’s very cold. The study highlights the importance of considering backup heating in the context of household comfort, energy expenditures, grid reliability, and carbon emissions. The findings suggest that backup heating could have significant implications for household energy use and carbon emissions, particularly in regions where wood and fossil fuels are used.
Understanding the Value of Backup Heating Systems: Key Insights for Homeowners
