ET24SWE0062 - Commercial Heat Pump Water Heater Focused Pilot

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Project Name
Commercial Heat Pump Water Heater Focused Pilot
Project Number
ET24SWE0062
Funding Entity
SWE
Market Sector
Commercial
TPM Category Priority 1
Water Heating
TPM Technology Family Type 1
Commercial-Duty Water Heaters
Distribution Report
Project Description

The Commercial Heat Pump Water Heater Focused Pilot aims to address barriers limiting the adoption of heat pump water heaters in commercial buildings, including:

  • Lack of customer and contractor familiarity with heat pump water heaters
  • Existing water heating program eligibility limitations
  • Electrical capacity requirements associated with the installation of heat pump water heaters
  • Lack of participation in the Statewide Commercial Water Heating Program
  • Limited understanding of customers best suited for commercial heat pump water heaters

 

These barriers will be addressed through the following activities:

  • Market characterization study to better understand the level of familiarity that contractors, distributors, and customers have with the installation of heat pump water heaters in commercial settings.
  • Tracking of electrical infrastructure requirements for commercial installations.
  • Contractor marketing and education to increase familiarity in commercial heat pump water heater installations and understanding of existing incentive program offerings for heat pump water heaters.
  • Providing reduced cost equipment to contractors to for installation at approved community-based businesses like: Community Based Organizations (CBOs), community centers, and places of worship
Abstract

The Light-Duty Commercial HPWH Focused Pilot explored solutions to the barriers to commercial HPWH adoption by targeting five significant barriers to assess if the piloted solutions would increase adoption of HPWHs in commercial sites:

  • Lack of customer and contractor familiarity with HPWHs in a commercial setting
  • Existing water heating program eligibility limitations
  • Electrical capacity requirements associated with the installation of HPWHs
  • Lack of participation in existing energy efficiency programs
  • Limited understanding of customers best suited for commercial HPWHs

The pilot team hypothesized that improved contractor and customer familiarity with HPWHs would increase commercial customers’ willingness to undertake an HPWH conversion and to overcome the barriers to HPWH adoption. This report includes findings, recommendations, and approaches to cost-effectively increase participation and reduce barriers for commercial sites.