BDC team at May 30th California Heat Pump Partnership meeting

(photo: California Energy Commission)

Hello Fellow Decarbonizers,

My calendar officially says it’s June, but I’ve been dreaming about cooling heat pumps instead of warm summer days. Last week, I traveled to Sacramento, CA where members of our team facilitated the first convening of the California Heat Pump Partnership. The partnership combines the vision of California Energy Commission Chairman David Hochschild with Governor Gavin Newsom’s goal of installing 6 million heat pumps (air, water, clothes, hot tubs - we’ll take them all!) by 2030. The energy in the room to move forward swiftly and reach this audacious goal was incredible. I can’t wait to see what comes of this partnership. Stay tuned and follow along here!

Also, last week our Chefluencer team trained another cohort of chefs who are excited to embrace the joys of induction cooking. This cohort was our largest yet and was a wonderful group of culinary experts, mostly from the state of Washington. Fantastic conversations and learnings took place, and by the end, we came away very excited about this new community of electric cooking advocates that will usher Washington into a new era of decarbonized buildings. If you want a chef for an event in WA, let us know!

As legislative seasons around the country start coming to an end, we will be doing wrap-ups, analysis and lessons learned. As a teaser though, our movement saw some great thermal energy network wins in Minnesota and Colorado. 

Summer is here and so is the heat. Stay cool, friends. Preferably with a high efficiency heat pump in a well insulated building. 

Yours in decarbonizing, 
Panama

Last week we officially launched the California Heat Pump Partnership (CAHPP) with the first board meeting in Sacramento! The partnership brings together leading state energy agencies, heat pump manufacturers, utilities, and other key stakeholders to move California toward Governor Newsom’s goal of installing 6 million heat pumps by 2030. BDC will manage the partnership and oversee the two primary workstreams: a statewide consumer marketing/education campaign, and a blueprint that outlines strategies to overcome key barriers and chart a path to bring heat pumps into the mainstream. 

California Policy Call

June 18, 2024 at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET

Non-Energy Impacts in Home Electrification and Decarbonization

June 12, 2024 at 9 am PT / 12 pm ET 

This seminar will explore the multifaceted advantages of home electrification and decarbonization beyond energy savings with a special focus on health improvements. Retrofitting homes for reduced carbon emissions not only advances environmental sustainability, but also enhances indoor air quality and thermal comfort, leading to potential health benefits and enhancing overall well-being. Through interdisciplinary research and case studies, participants will learn about the potential improvement in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases resulting from decreased indoor pollutants, improved ventilation, and better indoor thermal comfort.

NY Thermal Energy Networks Summit Explores How State Is Scaling Up Clean Heat and Cooling

• The 2024 NY Thermal Energy Networks Summit examined how thermal energy networks function, where and how they can be deployed in New York, and why this type of neighborhood decarbonization solution will play an important role in helping the state meet its Climate Act mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by no less than 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050. Watch the keynote addresses.

Heat Pump Manufacturers and BDC Urge PSC to Update the NYS Clean Heat Program 

• Improvements to New York's multi-billion dollar building electrification and energy efficiency incentive programs would increase program participation and grow the state’s heat pump market. 

Building Decarbonization Coalition Celebrates the Launch of the Nation’s First Utility-Owned Thermal Energy Network

• On June 4, Eversource Gas flipped the switch on the nation’s first utility-owned geothermal network pilot in Framingham, MA. BDC celebrates with the residents of Framingham who will now receive healthy, affordable heating and cooling, and congratulates Eversource Gas and HEET on their collaborative achievement in pioneering utility-owned thermal energy networks.

“Many people misunderstand what creates ‘wok hei.’ It’s about cooking at a high temperature. What you’re smelling is the caramelization of proteins as they cook and char, creating that unique aroma. It doesn’t matter whether you use gas or induction.” - Chef Martin Yan

Discover the Power of Wok Induction Cooking with Chef Martin Yan

Last month, over 200 residents of Santa Clara County had the unique opportunity to join Chef Martin Yan and Chef Rachelle Boucher for a free cooking experience. This event, filled with delightful tastes and live demonstrations, highlighted the incredible capabilities of induction cooking.

Furthering our commitment to knowledge sharing, we are excited to introduce a new seasonal ‘Report Roundup’ segment to highlight insightful reports from other organizations across the building decarbonization movement and share the latest developments, best practices, and strategies. 

Leaked & Combusted: Strategies for Reducing the Hidden Costs of Methane Emissions & Transitioning off Gas HEET

This report argues that our current regulatory frameworks and utility business models encourage an over investment in pipeline replacement and gas utility capital spending and discourage utilizing leak detection and repair technologies, which are operation and maintenance expenses. The report finds that spending on new gas infrastructure across the U.S. has tripled in the past decade alone and projects that gas infrastructure spending may reach 1.4 trillion by 2050.

A Managed and Timely Transition lowers Cost and Risks Climate Solutions

This report concludes that in Washington a managed and timely transition (starting by 2025)  would allow gas utilities to plan for the energy transition, cut climate pollution significantly, and protect low-income ratepayers. The report provides content for gas utility transition actions, compares the scenarios in their cost impacts on consumers, and includes policy evaluation to enable the energy transition. 

Clearing the Air: How Cities Can Mitigate the Impacts of the Gas System and Accelerate the Shift to Clean Energy IMT and Groundwork Data

This report argues that, while over 400 cities have climate action plans, few jurisdictions wield the full extent of their power to halt gas system growth, which threatens health, safety, affordability, and equity. The report targets local leaders and offers a “Gas 101” history in the first half of the report and strategies for implementing a transition off the gas system at the local level in the second half.

Minnesota

May was a banner month for thermal energy networks in Minnesota. The state legislature passed multiple provisions supporting TENs, including $500,000 for a statewide thermal energy network siting suitability study; $39,000 for a thermal energy network working group at the Public Utilities Commission; and $6 million for a community geothermal project in Minneapolis. These policies were supported by a coalition of grassroots racial and economic justice organizations, including 100% MN, ISAIAH, and Unidos MN. Congratulations to this hard-working coalition and to the North Star State! 

Colorado

Colorado continues to harness “the heat beneath our feet.” Governor Jared Polis and the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) announced a total of $7.7 million in grant funding through the Geothermal Energy Grant Program, of which $3.57 million is slated for thermal energy network scoping, design, and construction. Awardees plan to use TENs to upgrade snowmelt systems, support affordable housing, and expand clean heating and cooling at university campuses and city neighborhoods. You can read the state’s official press release here.

California

California Air Resources Board

CARB hosted a public workshop to discuss the rulemaking for zero-emission appliance standards on May 29 from 9:00-12:00.

• This is one in a series of public workshops CARB is hosting to solicit feedback on the proposed rule.
• More information can be found on the Zero-Emission Space and Water Heater Standard website.
• Public comment requested by June 26 by submitting on CARB’s comment webpage. 

California Energy Commission

CALGreen includes voluntary energy efficiency requirements for newly constructed buildings, and additions and alterations to existing buildings. The CEC updates the voluntary residential and nonresidential provisions every three years alongside the rest of the California Building Standards Code (Title 24, Parts 1 and 6). 

• CEC proposed language and initiated the Notice of 45-Day Public Comment Period - May 17, 2024 - July 1, 2024.
• CEC Lead Commissioner Hearing to receive public input on proposals - Wednesday, June 5. 

California Public Utilities Commission

Investor Owned Utilities and Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) filed a joint proposal for tariffed on-bill financing (TOBF) programs on May 14.

• The proposal lays out the vision for TOBF implementation at each IOU and at SVCE.
• The CPUC may issue a Proposed Decision directing the pilots to move forward.

New York 

New Efficiency: New York 

BDC and six leading heat pump manufacturers submitted comments describing how the PSC could update New York's multi-billion dollar New Efficiency: New York (NE:NY) portfolio of Energy Efficiency and Building Electrification programs with cost, payment, and program delivery improvements. 

BDC also helped lead the effort to jointly submit with 16 other organizations technical comments to the PSC on how to improve NE:NY’s energy efficiency and building electrification programs, and to submit a letter to the PSC with 156 other organizations on how it can update NE:NY so that it invests 50% of its overall budget in programs for low-and middle income (LMI) households and disadvantaged community (DAC) programs, is easier for people to use, and better incorporates health and other benefits into the calculations that inform its investment decisions.

NY Home Energy Affordable Transition Act 

BDC continues to work with environmental, climate justice, and other organizations to urge the NY State Assembly to pass the NY Home Energy Affordable Transition (HEAT) ACT before the end of the legislative session in June.

These efforts include joining more than 150 environmental advocates, residents, and state lawmakers at a rally at the Capitol on May 22nd to demand the Assembly pass the NY HEAT Act and coordinating with other organizations to conduct phone, text, and digital outreach to New York voters asking them to contact their Assemblymembers and tell them to pass the NY HEAT Act.

New York State is the first state to go live with IRA Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates funding:

• On May 30th, New York Governor Kathy Hochul joined U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Granholm and White House Senior Advisor John Podesta to announce that New York is the first state in the nation to offer the first phase of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) Program funding to consumers. 

The decarbonization movement is growing, and so are we. Explore our available positions!