Heat pump incentive program aims to lower home heating bills in Gustavus

An air-to-air power pump tin supply a much businesslike replacement for heating a home, peculiarly successful regions pinch little melodramatic somesthesia swings for illustration Southeast Alaska. (Erin McKinstry/KCAW)

A caller programme successful Gustavus will supply residents pinch money for power pumps.

Incentive payments of up to $500 will beryllium disposable for homeowners, businesses, agency offices and metropolis buildings to switch their oil-based heating systems pinch an electrical power pump, acknowledgment to a $20,000 assistance awarded by nan National League of Cities. Gustavus was 1 of a twelve cities nationwide selected for nan organization’s Advancing Economic Mobility Rapid Grant program.

Gustavus City Councilman Mike Taylor worked connected securing nan assistance for nan organization of astir 600 people. He says power pumps person been gaining fame successful municipality for respective years. Taylor has installed a power pump astatine his ain home, and nan metropolis invested successful 1 for City Hall.

“We’re a organization that really cares astir nan situation and thinks astir ambiance alteration and nan domiciled of c emissions,” Taylor said. “So a batch of group are looking for ways to trim their impact, and power pumps are a bully measurement to do it.”

Heat pumps usage energy and refrigerants to cool aerial successful nan summertime and lukewarm aerial successful nan winter. Because power pumps tally connected energy alternatively of fossil fuels, galore experts see them a cardinal ambiance solution. In Gustavus, power pumps will pat into renewable powerfulness from nan Falls Creek hydroelectric project, which supplies astir 90% of nan community’s energy needs.

Heat pumps are besides mostly much power businesslike than oil-burning systems, which intends installing 1 tin trim down connected location power bills. Taylor said that’s particularly important successful Southeast communities for illustration Gustavus, wherever heating lipid is barged successful astatine costs arsenic precocious arsenic $6 a gallon.

The costs to instal a power pump typically starts astatine $5,000, according to nan Juneau-based nonprofit Alaska Heat Smart. There are respective backing sources that could thief to screen those costs. Gustavus’ section utility, Alaska Power and Telephone, offers an further $500 power pump inducement payment, and Sealaska shareholders are eligible for different $500 connected apical of that, funded by nan Sealaska Corporation. The national authorities besides offers taxation credits and rebates for power pump installation done nan Inflation Reduction Act.

Taylor says he hopes that each that backing mixed will beryllium capable to motivate residents to instal a power pump.

“We’re hoping to make nan astir of it and possibly get arsenic galore arsenic 40 caller installations successful nan organization by January,” he said.

Residents tin use to nan inducement programme now done Jan. 20, 2025. More accusation tin beryllium recovered connected the City of Gustavus’ website.