TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has ordered that all commercial buildings and multi-dwelling apartment buildings, townhomes and condominiums ditch their natural gas heating systems and switch to less effective heat pumps.
According to the Murphy administration, residential and commercial buildings account for 26% of the State’s greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions are largely due to space and water heating. To achieve the 80×50 goal, the building sector must transition to net-zero emissions, which will require a transition away from heat generated by natural gas use to, for example, modern heat pumps. It is estimated that 80% of the buildings that will be around in 2050 already exist today. By 2050, at least 90% of the residential and commercial sectors must be electrified to meet the State’ clean energy and climate goals.
But what are heat pumps? Heat pumps are a heating and cooling system found more commonly in mild climates that simply take the heat out of the existing air and pump it into your house. However, heat pumps are less efficient during extreme heat waves when there’s not enough cool air in the atmosphere to pump into your home and in extreme cold weather when there’s not enough heat in the outside air to transfer.
The Fuel Merchants Association of New Jersey has raised a warning flag that Murphy’s plan to convert buildings to heat pumps is not only impractical in a climate such as New Jersey with extreme heat waves in summer and frigid winters.
The FMANJ said despite advancements in heat pump technology, relying on them as the sole source of heat in New Jersey homes has raised concerns about both grid capacity and rising costs for residents. While heat pumps are considered viable for regions with dry, mild weather, their efficacy in the state’s climate is debatable.
Recent discussions highlight potential issues with New Jersey’s Energy Master Plan.
The proposed per-household costs, initially estimated between $4,000 to $7,000, might end up being significantly more. Residents are cautioned that exclusively using heat pumps could result in inadequate warmth during the coldest days. Additionally, overburdening the grid might lead to power losses, especially when heating is essential. The shift to such technology necessitates a careful examination of its practicality in the New Jersey climate and its potential implications for households.
Heat pumps, which run on electricity, use a mechanical-compression cycle refrigeration system to either heat or cool a home’s interior.
Inside the home, an air handler is set up, and a unit akin to a central A/C system is mounted outside. The refrigerant circulates between these two units. Based on the prevailing temperature, it can release heat during colder periods or absorb it during hotter times. In elevated temperatures, the heat pump acts similar to an A/C, transferring the home’s internal heat outside.
Conversely, in colder conditions, it brings the external heat indoors. However, as the temperature becomes excessively cold, the outside air might not provide sufficient heat to warm a house effectively.
The group says the governor can find a happy medium that would allow the use of heat pumps, but also rely on more traditional heating and cooling systems to get residents through the extreme weather conditions in the middle of summer and winter in New Jersey.