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What is the backup for these systems when the temperatures drop below a range where the heat pump cannot keep up? Down south they use an “emergency” second-stag

What is the backup for these systems when the temperatures drop below a range where the heat pump cannot keep up? Down south they use an “emergency” second-stage which is just electricity fed wires that glow hot and those are incredibly inefficient compared to a traditional gas fired furnace. However those temps usually happen a few days maximum every winter. Heat pumps are great when operating within certain temperature range but aren’t they much better suited for milder environments where they function reasonably well? Quebec temperatures regularly drop to the point where such “emergency” heat is necessary many days in the winter. Perhaps Canadian heat pumps are designed differently or have better backup mechanism? This article does not say whether other second stage heating sources than electricity are allowed but implies they are not.

dflock 5y ago
Electric heating elements - hot wires - are 100% efficient; All the incoming electrical energy is converted to heat. Wether they're more expensive than burning hydrocarbons depends on where you live - and hydrocarbons negative externalities remaining zero cost/outside the market. I'm not sure what the costs are in Ontario (where the electricity is mostly nuclear+hydro), but Canada does have a carbon tax, although it's still very low.
- m463 5y ago
  > Electric heating elements - hot wires - are 100% efficient; All the incoming electrical energy is converted to heat. The problem is that we're used to other methods working at much greater than 100% efficiency, combined with the need for lots more heating when efficiency drops to a mere 100%
b409ba0801cd21 5y ago
Ground source heat pump systems can handle colder climates well. Underground, the temperature is rather stable through the year. This is especially true when the loops are installed vertically.
- SOLAR_FIELDS 5y ago
  These seem nice but the Wikipedia article for GSHP implies only a million are installed globally - surely that cannot mean that Quebec is intending for this to be the predominant source of heating? Even with subsidization it seems the technology is prohibitively expensive for the average Canadian currently.

dflock 5y ago

Electric heating elements - hot wires - are 100% efficient; All the incoming electrical energy is converted to heat. Wether they're more expensive than burning hydrocarbons depends on where you live - and hydrocarbons negative externalities remaining zero cost/outside the market. I'm not sure what the costs are in Ontario (where the electricity is mostly nuclear+hydro), but Canada does have a carbon tax, although it's still very low.

m463 5y ago
> Electric heating elements - hot wires - are 100% efficient; All the incoming electrical energy is converted to heat. The problem is that we're used to other methods working at much greater than 100% efficiency, combined with the need for lots more heating when efficiency drops to a mere 100%

b409ba0801cd21 5y ago

Ground source heat pump systems can handle colder climates well. Underground, the temperature is rather stable through the year. This is especially true when the loops are installed vertically.

SOLAR_FIELDS 5y ago
These seem nice but the Wikipedia article for GSHP implies only a million are installed globally - surely that cannot mean that Quebec is intending for this to be the predominant source of heating? Even with subsidization it seems the technology is prohibitively expensive for the average Canadian currently.