Cold climate heat pumps (CCHPs) can provide high-efficiency heating in freezing temperatures without producing greenhouse gas emissions and can save families as much as $500 a year on their utility bills, DOE said.

Space conditioning and water heating account for 46% of building emissions and over 40% of primary energy used in American residential and commercial. They also account for 42% of all building energy bills and 56% of household energy bills each year. 

DOE launched the CCHP Technology Challenge in 2021 to accelerate the development and commercialization of next-generation heat pumps by supporting American innovation and manufacturing.

Lennox International, headquartered in Richardson, Texas, developed the first prototype that achieved the Technology Challenge’s standards about a year ahead of schedule. The prototype delivers 100% heating at 5°F at double the efficiency, and 70% to 80% heating at -5°F and -10°F. DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory validated the performance and efficiency of Lennox’s prototype. 

Lennox is one of nine manufacturers competing in the CCHP Technology Challenge. Its product and others that meet the CCHP Technology Challenge will undergo trials in cold climate regions over the next two years to demonstrate performance, efficiency, and comfort when applied in the field throughout a winter.

Deployment and commercialization are planned for 2024. Utility partners will work with DOE to establish consumer incentives to encourage adoption, and state partners will develop education and outreach campaigns to do the same. More than 20 utilities, cooperatives, and state agencies have committed to the Challenge.