3 ms·

That's just a policy choice. There's no law of physics that makes an electric heat pump cost more.

by jeffbee 3y ago

legitster 3y ago
An electric heat pump by nature has a lot more parts. A gas furnace is just a few sensors, a burner, a fan, and a box to do it in.
- bob1029 3y ago
  > a fan I think you might be underestimating the # of components in a modern furnace.
  - legitster 3y ago
    I'm intentionally being reductive, but I have worked on several furnaces and gas furnaces are an order of magnitude simpler than their respective heat pump. ... gas furnace + A/C compressor is another story.
infecto 3y ago
How is that policy choice? Are be subsidizing the natural gas suppliers or adding fees to natty generation plants?
- jeffbee 3y ago
  Retail prices of both electricity and mineral gas are highly regulated. They aren't market outcomes in any sense.
  - infecto 3y ago
    I live in Texas. At least for electricity it’s a fairly free market of prices. I would be surprised to learn natty gas is being heavily subsidized here too.
ttt3ts 3y ago
Actually it is physics and the market https://www.statista.com/statistics/220174/total-us-electricity-net-generation-by-fuel/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/220174/total-us-electric... a huge percentage of us electrical power is from natural gas. Natural gas to electricity to heat is a lot less efficient.
- jeffbee 3y ago
  There's not even a physics reason why a heat pump needs to be electric. There are gas-fired heat pumps. There are even gas-fired refrigerators. These weird anti heat-pump memes are just being regurgitated by people who do not understand what they are talking about.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
- adrianN 3y ago
  A modern gas turbine is around 50% efficient, give or take 10%. A modern heat pump has a COP of around 4, so burning gas to make electricity to run a heat pump is more efficient than burning gas to make heat.

3 ms·

That's just a policy choice. There's no law of physics that makes an electric heat pump cost more.

by jeffbee 3y ago

That's just a policy choice. There's no law of physics that makes an electric heat pump cost more.

legitster 3y ago
An electric heat pump by nature has a lot more parts. A gas furnace is just a few sensors, a burner, a fan, and a box to do it in.
- bob1029 3y ago
  > a fan I think you might be underestimating the # of components in a modern furnace.
  - legitster 3y ago
    I'm intentionally being reductive, but I have worked on several furnaces and gas furnaces are an order of magnitude simpler than their respective heat pump. ... gas furnace + A/C compressor is another story.
infecto 3y ago
How is that policy choice? Are be subsidizing the natural gas suppliers or adding fees to natty generation plants?
- jeffbee 3y ago
  Retail prices of both electricity and mineral gas are highly regulated. They aren't market outcomes in any sense.
  - infecto 3y ago
    I live in Texas. At least for electricity it’s a fairly free market of prices. I would be surprised to learn natty gas is being heavily subsidized here too.
ttt3ts 3y ago
Actually it is physics and the market https://www.statista.com/statistics/220174/total-us-electricity-net-generation-by-fuel/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/220174/total-us-electric... a huge percentage of us electrical power is from natural gas. Natural gas to electricity to heat is a lot less efficient.
- jeffbee 3y ago
  There's not even a physics reason why a heat pump needs to be electric. There are gas-fired heat pumps. There are even gas-fired refrigerators. These weird anti heat-pump memes are just being regurgitated by people who do not understand what they are talking about.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
- adrianN 3y ago
  A modern gas turbine is around 50% efficient, give or take 10%. A modern heat pump has a COP of around 4, so burning gas to make electricity to run a heat pump is more efficient than burning gas to make heat.