Research by Rewiring America highlighted a win-win scenario for homeowners and data companies that seems too good to be true. It’s a fascinating analysis-backed plan to remedy our energy woes.
If the companies helped to pay for heat pump installations in enough select homes that use aging electric HVAC equipment, the power-hungry operations could free up a third of their projected electricity needs through efficiency while helping people lower their utility bills with better technology. Adding home solar to households could meet all of the demand, the report continued.
The findings spotlighted the amazing value of cleaner tech, which can negate the need for nuclear and dirty fuel sources being developed to meet computing and artificial intelligence power demand. Goldman Sachs projects the draw will increase by 165% by 2030.
It’s a problem already being felt by consumers, as electricity rates are widely reported to be outpacing inflation. Integrating the solution into American households would be a sustainable, longer-lasting answer compared to building expensive plants for near-term demand, per the experts.
“There’s a way to rebalance the equation and ensure there’s something in it for Americans,” Rewiring America CEO Ari Matusiak told ESG Dive.
The value is there for the companies, including Microsoft, Meta, and Google. Rewiring America reported that funding part of the upgrades would cost about as much as building polluting gas plants while still freeing up needed grid space.
Heat pumps are efficient HVAC alternatives that can both heat and cool homes using a compressor, pipes, and refrigerants. The International Energy Agency reported that they are up to five times more efficient than gas boilers. The U.S. Energy Information Administration added that more than half of a home’s power is used for heating and cooling, making the upgrade a big value.
There are several types of heat pumps, including ductless mini-splits. This Old House estimated that they can cost between $1,500 and $30,000, depending on the size and type. Mitsubishi is a great resource to help you navigate the process, finding the right system for your home while securing still applicable tax breaks worth up to $2,000. They expire Dec. 31.
It’s a move that could save you around $1,000 each year on your utility bill — Rewiring America’s estimate is $740 annually — with improved technology that works in practically any climate.
The report also noted that if big data companies equipped enough homes with rooftop solar and battery storage, they “could generate more than enough clean electricity to meet all projected additional data center capacity needs.”
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In that scenario, the electricity crunch would be solved without additional planet-warming air pollution linked by NASA to increased extreme heat wave risks that could soon make some places uninhabitable.
It would also help expand the shift to cleaner energy as government tax incentives end. The reports didn’t provide feedback from data company leaders regarding their willingness to help fund the upgrades. But ESG Dive noted that they are “thinking creatively.” Microsoft is reopening a portion of the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, for example.
A better option exists in the form of our homes, according to Matusiak.
“The household doesn’t have to be a passive energy consumer, at the whim of rising costs. Instead, it can be the hero and, with smart investment, the foundation of a more reliable and affordable energy future,” he said, per Rewiring America.
Mitsubishi can help homeowners interested in a heat pump upgrade now with valuable information and a robust network of trusted, professional installers.
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