Welcome to Locally Sourced, a biweekly Covering Climate Now newsletter for journalists working to localize the climate story. Share this newsletter with colleagues and journalism students interested in localizing the climate story. Vea la versión en español de “Fuentes locales.”
Story Spark: Heat Pumps
Heat pumps are having a moment — and for good reason.
Bolstered by federal incentives through the Inflation Reduction Act and state programs to minimize the cost of installation, heat pumps have outsold gas furnaces for the second year in a row. These “pieces of art,” as dubbed by Vice President Kamala Harris, emit 95% fewer emissions than gas boilers by drawing heat from the air to regulate temperatures inside one’s home. Given that residential energy use is responsible for a fifth of all US greenhouse gas emissions, heat pumps are one of the best ways to decrease our individual carbon footprint by up to eight tons annually.
Heat pumps are more than just a climate-friendly option to heat (and cool) your house. They’re also more efficient than fossil fuel and electric heating systems, even in areas facing extreme cold. In addition, since heat pumps run on electricity rather than burn fossil fuels, they don’t worsen air quality both inside and outside one’s home.
Finding someone experienced in installing and repairing heat pumps, however, is proving difficult in many areas. Grants, made possible through federal funding, that promote renewable energy apprenticeships and focused training programs seek to minimize these problems as demand for heat pumps grows.
Stories We Like
- In New York City, where nearly 80% of residential buildings are heated by antiquated steam systems, PBS highlights how some people are making the switch to heat pumps and the work being done to make them more accessible for entire communities.
- Maine is adopting heat pumps faster than any other state, and The Portland Press Herald examines how subsidies are fueling the expansion.
- KALW in San Francisco explores the rebates and incentives available for homeowners, landlords, and renters to make the switch to heat pumps.
- Heatmap dives into key findings from a recent study which found that heat pumps are a cost-effective choice for roughly 60% of the country, even before subsidies.
- In New Hampshire, the Concord Monitor speaks to recent heat pump adopters about their thoughts on the switch — both good and, um, “different.”
- WCAX in Vermont highlights how this modern, clean technology is being installed in a 200-year-old inn to provide a better experience for visiting tourists and future generations.
- Heat pumps reduce carbon pollution even if they’re powered by an energy grid that relies on fossil fuels, Canary Media reports.
- The New York Times outlines everything about getting a heat pump installed, from picking the right model to how to find (and pay for) an installer.
- The Seattle Times follows one family who chose a heat pump to cool their home as summers become dangerously hot and explores the government subsidies that made this life-saving upgrade possible.
- NPR has a song recommendation, “(I’m Your) Heat Pump,” a slow R&B track which illustrates how this technology can improve the climate and your home.
Expert Tips
Marco Chown Oved, a climate reporter with the Toronto Star, offers tips for reporting on heat pumps and other green technology. Oved has reported extensively on consumer technologies as climate solutions, both in print and as a host of the podcast “Small Things Big Climate.”
Don’t just make it about emissions. Folks who are already inclined to make their lifestyles more climate-friendly are likely to do so without any extra information you provide. Instead, framing stories about heat pumps or EVs in terms of saving money or improving quality of life is a way to get folks who might not already be interested to consider adopting green technologies.
Debunk myths about both fossil fuels and green tech. A more effective way to get people to question their consumer choices than fact checking false narratives about wind farms killing whales might be to point out health concerns with fossil fuel burning appliances, like gas stoves and furnaces, which have been linked to childhood asthma.
Don’t shy away from bad experiences with green tech. Honest reporting on problems that consumers encounter with green tech gets more engagement than cheerleading, and could help make the experience better for the next customer.
Focus on things that are actually available. Prototypes of technologies that could be a game changer for the climate are dime-a-dozen. I often tell PR types that if I can’t buy it in Walmart, I won’t write about it.
Helpful Links
Resources
- To better combat disinformation about heat pumps, dive into an extensive fact check of myths and misconceptions compiled by Carbon Brief.
- The US Department of Energy’s website breaks down different types of heat pumps.
- The nonprofit Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships maintains a database of heat pumps that perform well at low temperatures.
- WIRED has a great write up using everyday items to explain the science behind heat pumps.
- Track the number of heat pumps sold in the US compared to gas furnaces with this online provided by nonprofit RMI.
Recommended Experts:
- Eric Wilson, senior research engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- Kevin Kircher, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, Purdue University
- Rabi Vandergon, program manager, Center for Energy and the Environment
Before We Go…
The next Locally Sourced will highlight climate’s impact on our oceans. Have you reported stories about changes in ocean ecosystems, acidification, or impacts to marine fisheries? Send them to us at local[at]coveringclimatenow[dot]org. We’d love to consider them for the next edition of Locally Sourced and our media trainings and social platforms.
The Climate Station is a free-of-cost training program from CCNow that equips local TV station newsrooms in the US, including journalists, producers, and meteorologists, to cover climate news more effectively. For inquiries, please email Elena González at elena[at]coveringclimatenow[dot]org. Or apply here.
Want more story ideas? Check out the Locally Sourced archive for more topics to explore, including home insurance, urban forests, attribution science, and more.
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