Heat Pumps

1. They move heat instead of generating it, making them incredibly efficient:Heat pumps use electricity to extract heat from the outside air by reverse refrigeration (hence “air source”) without the need for inefficient ductwork. By moving heat, instead of making it, they can heat or cool a space up to 2-3x more efficiently than other electric heating/cooling equipment.
2. They take away the need for air conditioning:In warmer months, heat pumps extract hot air and humidity from your home, for less than what a typical air conditioning unit costs to generate cool air.
3. They can heat your water:Heat pump water heaters can heat the water your family needs year-round, by extracting a small portion of warm air from your home and using it to generate hot water. It does so up to 6x more efficiently than standard electric or oil tanks.
4. They are designed for harsh New England climates:Heat pumps work in winter. As mentioned in our animation, Mitsubishi Electric’s dramatic improvements in the low-temperature performance of their extensive line of heat pump systems have brought about rapid adoption in the Northeast. The latest generation of heat pumps can provide heating to temps as low as -20 Fahrenheit.
5. They can be powered by the sun!Heat pumps are the only heating system that can be powered by solar, which can greatly reduce your heating cost. Additionally, credits earned by generating solar power in the summer can be used for operating solar energy heat pumps in the winter.

Heat Pumps convert outside air into heat or cooling using electricity, which ranges in price in our region up to 21 cents per kilowatt-hour, depending on your utility. That’s the equivalent of paying roughly $2.30/gallon of heating oil – an improvement versus the status quo for sure. Even better, when you combine that heat pump with the locked-in lower rates of solar electricity, that price comes down to 8 cents per kilowatt-hour or roughly $0.84/gallon of heating oil.

New England Heating Fuel Cost Comparison

The chart below compares average heating costs for different heating sources. Using recent average fuel prices in ME, MA, and NH, we can compare these fuel source by calculating their cost per million BTU (a unit of heat). You can see that it’s a lot more cost-effective for heat pumps to generate the same amount of heat as propane or oil heater, especially when powered by solar.

Fuel Source	Cost per Unit	Cost per Million BTUs*
Heat Pump Powered by Solar	$0.08 / kWh	$9.40
Heat Pump Powered by Grid	$0.27 / kWh	$31.60
Propane (2024 NE average)	$3.30 / gallon	$45.34
Heating Oil (2024 NE average)	$4.00 / gallon	$44.37

*Assumes typical oil boiler operating at 65% efficiency, propane at 80% efficiency, and heat pump at 250% efficiency (COP of 2.5). Solar PV kilowatt-hour cost of 8 cents per kilowatt-hour over 25-year timeframe based on typical pricing economics of a 8.5kw + system. Economics are estimates and subject to the local cost of oil, propane, and electricity.

A grid-tied solar electric array is an ideal partner for a heat pump. State law allows you to bank excess solar power in the summertime to earn you bill credits, which can be cashed in for electricity in the wintertime to run your heat pumps.

Think of it like a woodshed that stacks itself – you’re harnessing clean power from the sun and storing it for later, and in the meantime helping reduce peak demand on the grid by producing excess power in the summertime.

Air Source Heat Pumps are Great for Supplemental Heat for New and Existing Homes

The most popular application for heat pumps are in supplemental heating applications, similar to the way wood or pellet stoves are – we review house floor configurations and recommend the installation of one or more heat pumps in common areas of the home that area to a comfortable temperature. In this situation, you would keep an existing oil or propane equipment for backup, but for most of the heating season rely on the heat pump.

The simplicity and reliability of heat pumps also make them a great choice for new homes, where the savings garnered by installing heat pumps instead of a traditional heating system can be used to install solar electricity for the home. By heating and cooling with electricity, and then using solar panels to generate electricity, you end up with a home that fully meets its own energy needs that costs less to operate than a conventional home.

In addition to the 30% Federal Tax Credit, which will apply to stand alone heat pump projects starting in 2023, state specific incentives are also periodically available for air source heat pumps. Our team of Solar Advisors will help you find all the incentives in your state that are available to help reduce the cost of heat pumps. Currently, heat pump incentives include: 

• Maine: Rebates up to $8,000 through Efficiency Maine. Learn more about Efficiency Maine's whole and partial home heat pump rebates to see what you are eligible for.
• New Hampshire: $400 per 12k BTU outdoor unit through NHSaves
• Massachusetts: Up to $10,000 rebate through MassSave

With heat pumps, it’s scientifically proven that quality matters when it comes to their installation.  Luckily, we’ve been installing and servicing Mitsubishi Electric Air Source Heat Pumps since 2011 when advances in solar energy and heating technology made it clear that banking solar electric generation in the summertime and using stored solar energy via heat pumps in the winter was the best approach to solar-powered heating.

Since then, we’ve installed thousands of heat pumps across Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, earning Mitsubishi Electric’s Elite Diamond Contractor designation that is awarded to installers with the highest level of training and experience. Our certified heat pump installers know Mitsubishi Electric’s products inside and out and we are certain of their ability to reliably provide comfort through all of the highs and lows that New England throws their way. We go beyond installation too, with heat pump maintenance and repair services to keep your system running smoothly for its entire lifecycle. 

Their heat pumps come with an industry-leading 12-year part and compressor warranty on single-family, residential installations, and a 5-year parts and 7-year compressor warranty on multi-family and commercial installations. 

Between Mitsubishi Electric’s high-performance technology, our technical excellence and our legendary customer service, ReVision Energy can offer you the best solar-powered heating and cooling solutions for your home. We know that disruptions to your daily routine are a concern, so our heat pump installers work efficiently to minimize any impact. Most residential heat pump systems can be installed in just a day or two, keeping your home comfortable throughout the process. On top of that, we’re a 100% employee-owned B Corp, with the most experience installing and maintaining solar and solar technology in the region.

Interested in getting heat pumps installed with ReVision? Contact our team using the Get Started button.

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There is absolutely no obligation, no pushy salespeople, just high-quality information on whether heat pumps are right for your home and what the next steps would be.

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