NEEA and partners successfully introduce heat pump water heaters to the Northwest
Digital Journal, October 23, 2013PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA), in collaboration with its utility and energy efficiency partners, is helping build market momentum for heat pump water heater technology in the Northwest. To advance energy efficiency within the water heating product category, NEEA and its partners implemented a comprehensive program of specification development, product testing, consumer marketing, and contractor trainings.
Water heating accounts for 15 to 20 percent of electric energy use in homes with electric water heating. Compared to traditional electric water heaters, heat pump water heaters can save homeowners up to 50 percent on energy costs while still delivering the same amount of hot water. Heat pump water heater technology works like a refrigerator, but in reverse – using fans and an evaporator to pull warmth from the surrounding air and transfer it to water in the storage tank.