 Note: To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update.
By Gerri Wiley, HeatSmart volunteer and Energy Navigator What’s new with Subscription Community Solar?
What’s new with 100% Renewable Electricity ESCOs? Let’s first talk about NYSEG’s fossil-nuclear default plan. You’ll be shocked at NYSEG’s rate listing this month that reflects May’s average price: 7.45 cents/kWh! This is 3 cents/kWh higher than NYSEG’s trailing 12-month average. Why did this occur? A major temperature spike? A sharp increase in demand? Nope. A combination of factors is speculated: the impact of retirement of the Indian Point nuclear plant driving up fossil fuel-generated electricity; the anticipated higher post-pandemic natural gas load; and anticipated higher levels of congestion with planned transmission upgrades. Meanwhile, Energy Coop of America’s (ECA’s)100% renewable plan remains the only reasonably priced ESCO sporting no customer complaints.
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 HeatSmart Tompkins invites local heat pump and building envelope experts serving Tompkins and/or Chemung Counties to apply for partnership in our 2021-2022 Campaigns. HeatSmart campaigns provide personal outreach to community groups along with broad advertising efforts to generate more jobs for participating businesses (Installer partners). Installer partners receive leads through the program and are also personally presented to the community at public meetings and on webinars.
Apply by filling out this application by June 11th, 2021 The primary focus is on residential buildings for single- or small multi- family buildings, with an emphasis on retrofitting and improving the existing housing stock and heating systems in our area. We also reach out to small businesses and those planning to construct new buildings. The territory covered by the program includes Tompkins and Chemung Counties with a special emphasis on the gas constrained Town of Lansing. Please contribute your expertise to this effort, grow your business, and help us improve the energy efficiency of buildings in these communities! We are seeking multiple installers to work closely with the HeatSmart Tompkins team as trusted campaign partners and serve the public by installing home weatherization and relevant clean heating and cooling technologies while helping to expand awareness of these technologies over the course of the program. Technologies offered include air-source heat pumps (ASHP), including space heating (dual-fuel and stand-alone central air systems) and heat pump water heaters (HPWH), and ground-source heat pumps (GSHP). The goals of HeatSmart Tompkins include:
The selected installer(s) will work collaboratively with the HeatSmart Tompkins team to implement a one year community marketing and outreach campaign from July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022. The selected Installer(s) will receive leads and will be actively promoted to the community as HeatSmart Tompkins’s competitively-selected Installer(s). Questions or concerns? Call Lisa Marshall at 850-291-5259 or e-mail at Lisa@HeatSmartTompkins.org 
An energy-efficient home is an investment that you get to enjoy every day and one that pays dividends to both you and planet earth. Spring is a great time to get a home energy assessment and schedule insulation and air sealing work. If you've been considering heat pumps, why not get them now so you can enjoy the air conditioning all summer long? If you're scheduling any home improvements, use that opportunity to get off fossil fuels entirely with high-performance electric appliances such as an induction cooktop or heat pump dryer. We're excited to be working with the towns of Caroline, Enfield, Dryden, Ithaca, Newfield, Ulysses, and Veteran on community campaigns for clean heating and cooling. These municipalities can earn a $5000 grant from NYSERDA if ten households get insulation and/or heat pumps (including heat pump water heaters) installed. If your town is not on the list, but you think it should be, let's talk! See link below to set up a meeting. In April, we are hosting two webinars:
Missed a webinar? Or want to revisit our installer case studies and online presentations? Visit our video resources page. We were recently featured in a Tompkins Weekly story: Home Improvement: Save money and energy this spring In the story, HeatSmart program director Lisa Marshall discusses home improvements and notes that during this past pandemic year “we actually found quite a bit of interest amongst the public in having a home energy assessment done because people were home, and they started to be really interested more than ever in their home comfort, their energy bills and their indoor air quality — all three things that were an unexpected side effect of the pandemic.” How do I participate? The best first step is to enroll in the HeatSmart Program, which takes only 3-4 minutes, and request one or more free assessments.  Note: To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update.
By Gerri Wiley, HeatSmart volunteer and Energy Navigator There is another ESCO coming on the scene that I’m excited about, but cannot yet add to the chart because their customer service is not yet up to par. I’m hopeful for this to change! Consolidated Billing For those of you who subscribe to a Community Solar project, when will you no longer receive a bill from your solar company and both solar credits and payment will be consolidated on your utility bill? Response from NYSEG: “Consolidated billing is an optional program that the utilities now offer to VDER CDG Projects. NYSEG has had good interest in the program with about 40% of eligible projects opting into consolidated billing. Customers enrolled with these projects should start seeing a single bill within the next few months as NYSEG is phasing projects into the consolidated billing program.”  Note: To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update.
By Gerri Wiley, HeatSmart volunteer and Energy Navigator Today I am also sharing a way for you to level up your energy literacy. There are still a few spaces open in Get Your Greenback Tompkins' Energy Navigator Program! To learn more, visit their website. I remain vigilant in trying to provide more than one option for you that meets my criteria of 'price no more than 2 cents/kWh over NYSEG's rate' (yet is WAY cleaner), good customer service, zero or very few customer complaints, and purchases RECs from New York State renewable electricity sources. Losing Clearview's fixed low rate was a sad experience. At least we have one ESCO on the list...ECA Renewable. It isn't a fixed price, but it meets all of my criteria, including zero customer complaints to the PSC...That's something about which to be proud! All is chuggin' along well with Subscription Community Solar. If you don't have your own panels and haven't signed up as yet, you may want to sign up now while solar panels are free of snow and the days are getting longer! Subscription Solar is a can't lose proposition. Also, not too long from now, there will be consolidated billing, with all data on your utility bill, ending the need for two payments.  If there's one thing the cold winter here in New York is telling us, it is that a well-insulated home is your best protection against winter weather damage and high energy bills. Ice dams on roofs can cause tremendous damage, water infiltration, and mold. Here is a resource for some steps you can take to protect your roof, the most important step of all is ensuring that your roof is properly insulated and ventilated. Fortunately, there's never been a better time to enroll with HeatSmart and get a free assessment for an insulation upgrade! Until June, income-qualified households are eligible for grants to pay for insulation and air sealing. If you're in a higher earning category, ask us whether the Comfort Home program might be right for you. It's not too late to be a part of the Heat Pump Demonstration Pilot Study now being conducted by NYSERDA. There has been tremendous interest in this short-term opportunity, so don't delay! Scroll down to see some real examples of heat pump systems installed with grant money through the study. Join our Heat Pump Pilot Study webinar on March 10 at noon to learn more. Heat Pump Pilot Study Examples
EventsRegister for an upcoming webinar on clean heating and cooling Weds, March 10 from noon-1pm :: Register Now Heat Pump Pilot Study NYSERDA is conducting a Heat Pump Pilot Study to learn how heat pumps can benefit low-to-moderate income households in NY. Join the HeatSmart team to learn if you're a good candidate for this short term opportunity that will provide deeply discounted heat pumps to low-to-moderate income households that are heating with any fuel except gas. Weds, March 24 from 7-8pm :: Register Now Getting the Most out of Your Heat Pump System Congratulations! You just got a new heat pump system (or you are about to get one)! This webinar will go over how to use your system to maximize comfort and efficiency. We will also go over best practices for maintenance. Weds, April 14 from noon-1pm :: Register Now Tax Time! Join us to learn about federal tax credits for heat pumps and other clean energy technologies. A basic overview of heat pumps will also be provided. Weds, April 28 from 7-8pm :: Register Now Campaign for Clean Heat Join the HeatSmart team to learn about the movement for clean heat at the local level, the state level and the national level. #HeatPumpsNotPipelines Become an Energy Navigator!
Recent Webinars
 Those icicles hanging from your house may look beautiful, but you'll want to be on the look out for ice dams that can form on the edge of the roofline.
Ice dams are formed when attic heat warms the roof and melts the snow. Melted snow flows to the edge of the roof, where it freezes again. As snow continues to melt, water can accumulate behind the layer of ice that forms and can back up underneath roof shingles and leak into the attic space. This Old House compiled some great steps you can take to protect your roof, and the rest of your home, and the most important steps include ensuring that your roof is properly insulated and ventilated. This is because the number one problem is undesirable attic heat. Too little insulation, too little ventilation, or a combination of the two create the conditions for ice dams. Learn more in this resourceful article from This Old House: How to Get Rid of Ice Dams Visit our incentives page for information about home weatherproofing incentives. And view our webinar archive with informative topics such as the "ABCs of Home Performance".  Note: To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update. By Gerri Wiley, HeatSmart volunteer and Energy Navigator Progress? Have you seen the movie, “Groundhog Day” in which a weatherman finds himself living the same day over and over again? Well, Groundhog Day is over, but you’d never know it by looking at NYSEG’s electricity supply for us. In fact, as you see in above chart, the percentages of renewables and greenhouse gas emission-free electricity were higher in 2009 than they were ten years later in 2019! We can do better than this! Let’s make sure our friends and family know that Subscription Community Solar and 100% Renewable ESCOs are available. What’s new with Subscription Community Solar this month? As solar projects reach capacity, new ones are being built, so if you haven’t purchased solar panels, you might consider doing so, or consider subscribing to a solar project. Delaware River Solar and Nexamp are building new projects now and Solar Farms NY still has available space. Get yourself on one of the waiting lists, as projects can reach capacity quickly. What’s new with 100% Renewable Electricity ESCOs? I’m still awaiting the magical appearance of a second plan from which to choose. Why is Energy Coop of America’s renewable plan still the only plan I can list? Because it is the only one meeting my criteria:
Note that if you live in a community that’s part of a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) with default 100% renewable electricity (such as Village of Owego, Town of Union, Village of Horseheads, Village of Elmira Heights), you may already be subscribed to an ESCO that fairly well meets these criteria. Check your NYSEG bill to see if an ESCO called ‘Constellation New Energy’ is listed or drop me a note and we’ll figure it out together.  Image: Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo On Wednesday, January 13th, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced New York State’s plan for an ambitious $26 billion green energy initiative to build renewable energy projects throughout the state. “Nature is telling us, ‘do something, or I will,’” Governor Cuomo said. “The time to act is now, and New York is proud to be a leader in clean energy initiatives.”
In the third part of his annual State of the State address, Governor Cuomo described this green energy-focused investment plan as a post-COVID opportunity for economic growth that will enable New Yorkers to reach our climate goals, which include the achievement of 70% renewable energy use by 2030 and carbon-free electricity generation by 2040 (Strategic Outlook for 2020-2023, NYSERDA). Cuomo laid out the components of his plan*:
To meet these goals, solar and on- and off-shore wind projects will be constructed throughout the state, and are said to “create nearly 11,000 jobs in Upstate NY alone.” Most notably, these off-shore wind and land-based renewable projects will:
For those of us interested in seeing substantial action from our elected representatives regarding the climate, this is an incredibly exciting time as the Governor discussed transmission projects to break up the congestion in the energy grid, and battery storage projects that will allow for storage of renewable energy to meet the energy needs of 1.2 million NY homes. The state plans to invest $20 million in a new Offshore Wind Training Institute, which will train 2,500 workers in the field of renewable energy, including solar, wind, and geothermal energy. Additionally, the Governor made note of the environmental injustice regarding communities of color. These communities have historically had weaker access to renewable sources of energy, which leads to disproportionately high rates of adverse health effects, increasingly evident during the current pandemic. It is clear that communities of color are in mind for the expansion of green job opportunities and green technology adoption. As the Governor noted, “the evolution to green energy will involve replacing home heating and cooling systems in approximately 130,000 buildings with heat pumps and geothermal heating.” This goal is taken seriously by HeatSmart Tompkins. Our mission is to provide renewable energy education and outreach to our local community. Our volunteer-led team has been fighting against fossil fuels since the advent of our program in 2015. Governor Cuomo’s announcement of this green energy investment plan is another large step for New Yorkers towards our climate goals, with the support of our elected officials. This is something to be celebrated as hope for a better future. HeatSmart Tompkins fully supports the stance that “we must replace fossil fuel plants with clean power…. and now is the time to do it.” While we are proud to see our representatives putting their words into action, let’s not forget that this is the result of decades of advocacy for the adoption of clean energy across New York State, by New Yorkers. Involvement by our neighbors and communities in adoption of clean energy is crucial for progress to be made. Below are some options you have to make a difference for your home, community, and planet now.  Note: To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update. By Gerri Wiley, HeatSmart volunteer and Energy Navigator Do you know anyone who still buys their electricity supply from NYSEG or any other New York State utility? If they do, what exactly are they buying? Solar? Wind? Hydro? You might expect that, over the years, renewables would be an increasing percentage of utility purchases on our behalf. Is this true? The percentages for year 2019 just rolled this month, and here is the 2019 data, along with data from 2016, 2017, and 2018.  As you see, overall, the utilities purchased the same percent of natural gas for you in 2019 as in 2018, about 2.4% more nuclear, about 2.6% less hydro, slightly less wind, and slightly less coal.
So, if we’re planning to green the grid, we certainly can’t wait for the utilities to do it on our behalf. It’s time to grab the reins. The updated Subscription Solar and 100% Renewable Electricity ESCO options available as well. I invite you email me with your questions and send people my way so I can help them find solutions to their clean energy needs and their wish to make a difference.  Did you know that 90% of households in New York State use fossil fuels to heat their homes? Imagine using the benefits of home electrification that run everything from your car to your heating unit, your hot water heater to your stove! Don’t think it’s possible to electrify your home AND save money? Read on to find out what you can do to save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and eliminate your home’s use of fossil fuels. Step 1: Improve Your Home’s Building Envelope 56% of the average NY resident’s energy consumption goes to space heating, and air leaks in the average American home may squander 15-25% of the heat our furnaces generate in the winter. Air leaks also account for the same amount of unwanted heat our homes gain in the summer. Remember the “ABCs” of building envelope improvement needs with “A is for Attic, B is for Basement, and C is for Conditioned Space” to improve your home’s energy efficiency. This “A-B-C” ordering is helpful, since A-attic insulation/sealing is more important/energy saving than B-basement insulation/sealing, which is more important/energy saving than C-conditioned space (walls). Thus, if you have a limited amount of money to spend on insulation this year, you’d want to focus on A, the attic. Step 2: Install Heat Pumps Do away with your inefficient, costly, and environmentally disastrous fossil fuel-fired heating system. Replace your old heating system with a semi-renewable heat pump. There are two types of heat pump, ground-source and air-source, and you can read more about the differences and how they work here. Heat pumps are semi-renewable heating and cooling systems, since they are run on the electricity of the home, meaning if the home gets its electricity from a renewable source of energy, such as solar or wind, the heat pump system is entirely renewable. And since 56% of a NY resident’s energy use goes to heating the home, think of the reduction in carbon emissions! Heat pump incentives are also available for both ground-source and air-source heat pumps. Added bonus - heat pumps also provide air conditioning! Step 3: Heat Pump Hot Water Heater. A heat pump hot water heater uses the energy of an inner heat pump to convert cold water to hot water, for your home’s domestic hot water needs. Heat pump hot water heaters are 3x more efficient than traditional gas-fired hot water heater, with lower operating costs and NYSEG incentives are available! Step 4: Induction Cooking. Top chefs the world over are raving about precision induction cooking! Cooking on an induction stovetop is significantly more efficient than cooking using gas or propane, since food being cooked with induction will receive 90% of the heat generated, as opposed to only 40-55% for gas. This will keep your kitchen much cooler and more comfortable as you prepare your meals. Induction stoves are also safer and very easy to clean. Step 5: Go Solar. 3 ways to go with solar:
Now that you have all the facts, please reach out to HeatSmart for any questions you may have regarding your home’s needs. By enrolling with HeatSmart Tompkins, you could also get any or all of our four trained, professional installer partners to assess your home’s energy efficiency, improve your home’s building envelope, and install heat pumps if desired. Enrolling in HeatSmart is absolutely zero obligation, and the home assessments from our installer partners are completely free. If you’d like to know more about fossil fuel reduction and increased energy efficiency, here are our most recent webinars.  Note: To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update. Your monthly update from HeatSmart volunteer and Energy Navigator Gerri Wiley: I virtually meet many people seeking to help green the New York State electricity grid, yet missing some key points on how their choice of electricity supply is so influential. The focus this month is on Community Choice Aggregation (CCA)...a powerful tool in greening the grid. CCA (Community Choice Aggregation) If you live in a municipality that is part of a CCA that chose 100% renewables as its default plan on behalf of residents and small businesses, make sure you are enrolled in that plan. In the Southern Tier, those municipalities are: Town of Union, Village of Owego, Village of Elmira Heights, and Village of Horseheads. Look on your NYSEG bill and/or call Constellation at 1-833-866-9637. If you live in a municipality that is part of a CCA that chose a fossil-nuclear mix, opt up to the 100% renewable plan by calling Constellation at 1-833-866-9637. In the Southern Tier, those municipalities are: Village of Delhi, Town of Dickinson, Town of Owego, Village of Newark Valley, Village of Spencer, City of Elmira, City of Hornell, Town of Horseheads, Village of Burdett, Village of Montour Falls, and Town of Canisteo. Why is this important? Because a CCA's ESCO must purchase New York State-generated renewable energy. The more NYS energy is purchased, the more renewable infrastructure will be built and the quicker we'll meet our goal of 70% renewable electricity here in New York. What if I don't live in a municipality with a CCA or the price seems too high? That's ok too. You can sign up for one of the two ESCOs on my attached chart. Did I say two ESCOs? YES! I've added Clearview Energy to this month's listing because the price is right and they purchase NYS hydro-electricity to cover kWhs their NYS customers use.  So you’ve made the switch to an air-source heat pump (ASHP). Now what? Here to answer some of your most pressing air-source heat pump questions is Jon Harrod, President and founder of Snug Planet, one of our four trusted installer partners. Heat pumps operate differently than fossil fuel heating systems. We’re all used to conserving energy and reducing our heating bills by turning down the heat at night and then up again in the morning during the cold months, but did you know that it’s actually more effective to just “set it and forget it” when it comes to your heat pump? Read on to uncover this and more truths and answers to some of the most important ASHP-related questions to get the most out of your new heating and cooling system.
Why don’t you recommend setting back the temperature or programming a schedule? Heat pumps operate most efficiently with a “set it and forget it” approach. If you are leaving your house for several days, you can set the temperature back several degrees—just remember, it may take several hours to reach your target temperature when you return, which is why it’s best to just leave it at a particular temperature to most efficiently and effectively heat or cool your home. The temperature on my remote doesn’t match my room thermostat. Why is that? Your heat pump senses temperature at the indoor unit itself, not at the remote. The temperature there will often be a few degrees different than the temperature where the thermostat is located. Find a setpoint at which you’re comfortable, even if it’s a few degrees different than what you’ve used in the past. What maintenance do I need to do? To clean the filters, first turn off the indoor unit. Pop open the front cover by pulling the tabs on either side of the unit. Remove the two filters and gently clean them using a vacuum attachment brush. Put the filters back in place, snap the front cover closed, and turn the unit back on. Depending on unit location, pets, and other dust sources, we recommend cleaning filters every 2-6 weeks, or when visibly dirty. This routine filter cleaning will prolong the life of your ASHP and improve your home’s air quality. When should I call for professional service? We recommend that your heat pump gets a thorough cleaning and check-up annually to maintain efficiency, longevity, and warranty coverage. All the HeatSmart installer partners offer annual maintenance contracts to keep your heat pump system running smoothly. And if anything ever doesn’t seem right, or you have any questions about your system, your installer welcomes your call! A special thank you to Jon Harrod of Snug Planet for creating such a helpful resource for this blog post. Check out this air-source heat pump informational page, a Mitsubishi MSZ-FH Heat Pump Quick Guide and FAQ sheet, created by Snug Planet.  During October and November, HeatSmart Tompkins and Building Performance Contractors’ Association (BPCA) of New York will build on earlier success and again offer three webinars and a hands-on workshop featuring varying topics covering air source heat pump installation guidelines, best practices, and marketing insights for selling the benefits of this leading edge technology to homeowners.
“In 2018, clean energy employment in New York increased 4.8% to nearly 159,000 workers, while increasing 2.7% nationally,” said Brian Eden, chair of HeatSmart Tompkins (Solar Tompkins). “While the pandemic has considerably slowed down clean energy projects, support from New York State for the clean energy industry and its workers will help them to bounce back.” To address the shortage of trained heat pump installers, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has committed nearly $70 million over the next 10 years to help clean energy businesses with recruiting and training new employees, upskilling existing workers, and establishing a talent pipeline to reduce businesses cost of attracting and hiring new workers. Join experienced contractors, entry level technicians, and those looking to expand into this emerging field to get the latest scoop on trending clean energy topics sweeping the industry. The training features regionally renowned experts. This workforce training is offered free of charge. For more information and to enroll, go to heatsmarttompkins.org/workforcetraining. Schedule of programs: Wednesday, October 14 | 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm Webinar #1: Why Every Home WILL Eventually Need a Heat Pump Register Wednesday, October 21 | 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm Webinar #2: The Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) as an Integral Part of an Energy Efficient and Comfortable Home. Register Wednesday, October 28 | 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm Webinar #3: Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) Installation Without Call-backs Register Saturday, November 7 | 9:00 am - 4:30 pm Location in Ithaca, NY: Address provided after registration Hands-on Training Event; Strategic Installation “Best Practice” Guidelines for Air Source Heat Pumps. Note the hands-on training is limited to 8 participants. An additional training in downstate New York is being considered. Register  The HeatSmart team knows that there's nothing like touring a HeatSmart home, experiencing the comfort, touching the heat pump, and talking to a happy homeowner for inspiring confidence in this still unfamiliar technology. Covid-19 makes home tours impractical, so this fall, we're bringing home tours to you, virtually.
Join us on Tuesdays at 12:30 this fall for a series of virtual home tours. You'll watch a short video, get briefed on the latest incentives, and meet the homeowner and the installer. We'll have plenty of time for your questions! #GetHeatSmart  With the dog days of summer falling to the wayside, the chilly return of fall is almost upon us. Upstate winters are often unforgiving; don’t get stuck in the frost! This year, install a new heat pump system to heat your home in the winter, provide air-conditioning in the summer, and keep you and your family comfortable year-round.
There are several different types of heat pumps available for installations, and there isn’t a “one-heat-pump-fits-all” type of mentality that comes with installing a new heat pump system. Getting in-touch with one or more of our trusted, highly rated, and rigorously vetted HeatSmart Tompkins installer partners is the best way to determine which heat pump system could be the right fit for your home and family’s needs. Air-source and ground-source heat pumps are both semi-renewable, meaning they provide heating and cooling with the use of electricity and can use electricity generated from a renewable source of energy, in this case making them entirely renewable! Many people with solar panels on their homes choose to run their heat pumps off their renewably sourced solar energy. One of the greatest benefits of heat pumps – besides the cleaner, greener energy – is the cost-savings. Did you know that 70% of total home energy consumption goes to home heating in our region? Homeowners on propane, the costliest form of heating available, can and do save up to thousands of dollars on their total annual heating bills after making the switch to a semi-renewable heat pump. Heat pumps provide some of the most efficient, comfortable, and clean heating energy available to homeowners, and many systems also provide air-conditioning for the warmer months. This additional cooling has the added benefits of dehumidification and air-quality improvement for the spring and summer allergy seasons! Don’t wait for your current heating system to fail this winter. Look into a new heat pump system for greener and more efficient energy, a more comfortable home environment, and energy cost savings! Complete a short and simple form to enroll in our program today. Also, watch our recent webinar series to learn more about the various types of heat pumps, cost and energy savings, and our trained HeatSmart Tompkins installer partners.  Members of the HeatSmart team and board held a small, outdoor gathering in honor of Jonathan Comstock's retirement.  HeatSmart Tompkins, a home-grown community non-profit which helps residents access the benefits of heat pumps and energy efficiency, has named a new program director to administer a $200,000 grant which will help the organization continue its mission for another two years. HeatSmart Tompkins, founded as Solar Tompkins, is a grassroots organization committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through implementation of clean and renewable energy technologies such as heat pumps, solar wind and increased home insulation and sealing.
Tompkins County has been a leader in the adoption of energy efficient air and ground source heat pumps thanks in part to the outreach and education provided by HeatSmart Tompkins. Heat pumps use refrigeration technology to capture the free solar heat in the air or the ground and use it to heat or cool buildings. These systems are 2-4 times more efficient than the most efficient fossil furnaces and are considered one of the key technology solutions for transitioning off fossil fuels to curb climate change. According to the “New York State Decarbonization Pathways Analysis”[1], 50 -70% of heating system sales need to be heat pumps by 2030 to stay on track to meet the carbon reduction goals codified in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) passed by the New York State legislature in 2019. The grant, awarded through a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Program Opportunity Notice (PON) will help HeatSmart Tompkins conduct community outreach and education campaigns to inform residents about the benefits of heat pumps, home energy efficiency improvements and other clean energy technologies. “We started in 2013 as Solar Tompkins,” explained Jonathan Comstock, founder and outgoing program director of HeatSmart Tompkins. “We ran the first big Solarize program in New York State to alert people locally to renewable energy solutions. Following the success of that program, we turned our attention to clean heating and cooling for even greater climate impact.” “We learned that the technology was quite advanced and that heat pumps are popular in Europe and elsewhere, but haven’t caught on here,” said Brian Eden, chair of HeatSmart Tompkins. “The main reason for this is lack of familiarity with the technology for both contractors and the customers. We created HeatSmart to fill that information gap. We also help customers identify solutions for their buildings and quality contractors to implement them.” HeatSmart Tompkins’ grassroots efforts attracted the attention of New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the state authority which promotes energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources. “We immediately saw the potential of doing grassroots community outreach about energy efficiency solutions for homes,” said Scott Smith, program manager of NYSERDA’s Clean Heating and Cooling team. “Albany has shown great leadership in providing us ambitious goals for climate sustainability and we rely heavily on our community partners and support from across the state to help us achieve those goals. We are now funding 15 Clean Heating and Cooling campaigns across the state, all of which were inspired by the HeatSmart Tompkins model.” “Now in our fifth year, HeatSmart Tompkins continues to innovate and lead,” said Lisa Marshall, the newly appointed program director. “We’re incredibly grateful to have been a recipient of a $200,000 grant from NYSERDA that will carry our program forward into 2022. Our goal for this next phase of HeatSmart is to move past the early adopters to more mainstream customers, making heat pumps the default heating systems in Tompkins County. New York State is at a critical juncture in terms of our energy policy; we have to rapidly scale up energy efficiency measures including heat pump adoption to meet Governor Cuomo’s nation-leading climate goals. HeatSmart Tompkins is proud to lead the way in making that happen.” [1] https://climate.ny.gov/-/media/CLCPA/Files/2020-06-24-NYS-Decarbonization-Pathways-CAC-Presentation.pdf  The report, Health Effects from Gas Stove Pollution, summarizes two decades of health research, and finds that indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than the air outside, due in part to nitrogen dioxide emissions and other pollutants coming from gas stoves.
“The health case for transitioning to all-electric cooking has been slowly mounting for more than forty years but policymakers must urgently address air pollution now,” said Brady Seals, senior associate at Rocky Mountain Institute and report author. “We have the tools to do so – Canada recently strengthened indoor and outdoor nitrogen dioxide limits to protect public health.” The report’s key findings include:
 Note: To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update. HeatSmart Volunteer and Energy Navigator Gerri Wiley provides us with monthly updates to help you choose an Energy Supply Company (ESCO) that offers 100% renewable electricity, and/or a community solar subscription.
Wiley uses the following criteria to make her ESCO selections:
 Project Drawdown, founded in 2014, is a nonprofit organization made up of scholars, scientists, advocates, and entrepreneurs from around the world who focus on finding solutions to the climate crisis to ensure that in the future, carbon emission rates slow down, plateau, and eventually begin to decline annually. This phenomenon, called drawdown, is supported by mapping, measuring, modeling, and communicating the variety of climate solutions that are currently available and accessible, but not widely adopted (yet). Globally, the building sector uses roughly 1/3 of all energy generated. One-third of that number goes toward heating and cooling. In the United States, we use as much energy for air-conditioning alone as the continent of Africa uses for all their energy needs, and both domestic and global demand for air conditioned spaces continues to rise. Most of the energy used is generated by the combustion of fuels like natural gas, oil, propane, and coal. On the flip side, heat pumps do not require direct combustion; they use electricity to move existing energy, saving your household energy and money. With geothermal specifically, the energy trapped underground is 100 billion times that of global energy consumption! Air-source heat pumps provide households with energy-bill savings of around $500 compared to electric resistance heaters and $1000 compared to oil-furnaces. WITH GEOTHERMAL SPECIFICALLY, THE ENERGY TRAPPED UNDERGROUND IS 100 BILLION TIMES THAT OF GLOBAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION! Heat pump technology has the potential to reduce global carbon emissions by as much as 6 percent over the next 30 years, which is one of the largest contributions of any single technology in reducing atmospheric CO2 levels. Current adoption rates for heat pumps are low (more public education is needed!), but Project Drawdown estimates that by 2050, rates of adoption will be closer to 40-50%. While upfront costs can be high, over time these systems will become more affordable through reduction in equipment price and expansion of incentive programs. Over time, these investments can save individuals both money on their energy bills, as well as the heating and cooling sector on operation and transportation costs for fuel combustion and use. For a cost of $77-$117 billion above what would be spent on conventional technologies, operating savings could reach $1.1-$2.5 trillion in our economy over the technology’s lifetime (for an air-source system it is 25 years and for a buried ground-source system it is 50 years on average). For local households this translates as higher upfront costs than replacing fossil fuels with fossil fuels, and considering their long life-spans and ability to provide heating, cooling, and hot water, heat pumps will pay for themselves over time through savings on your energy bills where conventional heating systems will not. Thankfully, there are also state and federal incentives for heat pump installation to lower costs for households. HEAT PUMPS WILL PAY FOR THEMSELVES OVER TIME THROUGH SAVINGS ON YOUR ENERGY BILLS WHERE CONVENTIONAL HEATING SYSTEMS WILL NOT. Heat pumps will continue to increase in efficiency and affordability via conjunction efforts such as district heating and cooling systems, solarized electricity, and optimizing building envelope efficiency.
Without the continuing growth of heat pump usage, we will continue to see accelerating levels of carbon emissions in the heating and cooling industry. Heat pump technologies are a substantial ally in the fight against climate change, and while initial barriers may not be easy to overcome for some, it will be increasingly more difficult to come out of the climate crisis the longer we wait to transition away from our use of fossil fuels. Source Material:  In our final webinar of the “Lunchtime Installer Series,” HeatSmart Tompkins invited one of our installer partners, NP Environmental, to talk with our community about important considerations to make when deciding if heat pumps are right for their home. The decision to install heat pumps as a fossil fuel alternative can seem daunting. Still, Nick Pryputniewicz, co-founder of NP Environmental and a founding member of the New York Geothermal Energy Organization, passionately believes that “Heat Pumps are for Everyone!” Nick laid out the following as points of priority for most homeowners and future heat pump users: Price – everyone cares about cost, and installing a heat pump system for heating and cooling or domestic hot water is not an exception for this worry.
Carbon Reduction – When you’re installing a heat pump system, you are committing to carbon reduction for your home.
Available Land Area – For ground-source (geothermal) heat pumps mainly, having available land is essential.
Geology – Available land space must also be complemented with the right kind of geology for drilling.
Disruption – Installing a ground-source heat pump will mean disruption to your home’s yard space. After installation, however, geothermal systems are the least noticed heat pumps around!
Distribution – The distribution system that your home runs on is an essential consideration because it may need to be replaced before installing a heat pump. If it is in good condition, it may also be used for your benefit…or not need to be used at all.
Aesthetics – While aesthetics do not play a major role in the feasibility of a heat pump system in your home, it is important to recognize your aesthetic preferences and relay them to your contractor.
System Longevity –Geothermal systems have a longer life-span than both fossil fuel alternatives and air-source alternatives.
System Maintenance – By working with one of our installer partners on your Assisted Home Performance project, you are guaranteed system maintenance by the contractor of your choice after installation is complete.
Not all of these questions will be able to be answered alone. It is never a wrong time to enroll with our program and begin getting home assessments by any or all four of our installer partners (NP Environmental, Halco Energy, Snug Planet, and Dailey Geothermal). You can enroll at the button below and have your home checked out on site or in person so that all of the important questions outlined here can be fully answered. Also in this webinar, Nick presented three separate projects he has worked on that, after prioritizing these areas of focus, decided on some unexpected systems that they love! You can watch the full webinar here: You can find our other webinars, virtual home tours, and informational videos in our video section.
“Cold-Climate Heat Pump Dos & Don’ts”: Presentation by Jon Harrod, President of Snug Planet7/7/2020  Part of HeatSmart Tompkins’ mission is to inform and educate the community about the benefits of energy-efficient, heat pump technology – an objective that Jon Harrod, President of Snug Planet, also values. Jon presented an excellent webinar for our “Lunchtime Installer Series” recently, in which he shared best practices for installation and operation of cold-climate air-source heat pumps. Jon discussed the importance of customer education – beginning during sales and the design process and continuing through installation and service. This process ensures that realistic expectations are created, basic operation and best practices for the system are explained, and maintenance and service needs for the future are understood. We’ve highlighted some of the points that Jon hit below. Benefits of Cold-Climate Air-Source Heat Pumps:
The following is a summary of Jon’s list of Dos and Don’ts for your cold-climate ASHP installers to ensure that these systems work effectively with proper temperature control, efficient operation, long lifespan and durability, no excessive noise from the system, and genuine customer satisfaction.
 Note: To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update.
A short message from HeatSmart volunteer and Energy Navigator Gerri Wiley: When considering New York State’s 10-year goals of 70% renewable electricity and 40% reduction of greenhouse gases, the task is simply too large without us—we, the people--joining together and pledging to reduce our energy use—and then doing it. End of rant. Right now, mask-free, we are able to sign up for Subscription Community Solar (if we don’t own our own panels) AND sign up for a 100% Renewable Electricity ESCO (whether or not we own our own solar panels). We can do this if we own a home, a business, or if we rent, assuming we pay our own electricity bill. By taking one or both of these steps, we collectively green the grid. The big ship of government doesn’t get us there fast enough. It’s OUR job to green the grid. July’s charts for both of these actions are here Subscription Community Solar update and here 100% Renewable Electricity update. . Please share this information with family and friends.  A recent concern for many has been home visits from our heat pump installer partners. In light of today’s circumstances, the thought of visitors in your home may carry with it a sense of general discomfort and unease. HeatSmart Tompkins and our experienced installer partners understand these feelings and are now offering informational webinars and virtual home visits. Please check out our upcoming “Lunchtime Installer Case Study Webinar Series” to learn more about each of our installer partners and some of the excellent heat pump installation and insulation work they have done.
New York businesses have begun reopening, and our installer partners are taking the necessary precautions to safely resume their work. The start of summer brings the need for clean energy air-conditioning and better home insulation to keep your home cool and dry. Now more than ever, home improvement projects should not be overlooked. In the interest of safety, remote home assessments are available for those who prefer them. The first step is to enroll on our HeatSmart Tompkins website. You can select any or all of our partner installers for a home assessment. A virtual meeting can be set-up between the client and an installer partner, in which the client’s home is assessed and the client’s individual heating and cooling needs are discussed. Through these virtual home visits and HeatSmart Tompkins’ installer case study webinar series (attend live or view recordings), our local community members will continue to be advised on the most accurate, up-to-date heat pump system information to reduce their homes’ carbon emissions, save money on energy bills, and live in a more comfortable home year-round.  Due to unprecedented demand the 0% interest offer from NYSERDA/GJGNY is nearly depleted. The offer of 0% financing to finance eligible energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems will end at 6:00 p.m. (EST) on Monday June 15, 2020. All applications received prior to this deadline will receive the 0% interest rate. If you were counting on getting these funds for a heat pump and/or insulation project, please try and get your loan approval application completed today! You don't need to have already signed a contract with an installer or have completed an assessment to apply for a loan pre-approval at 0% interest. Be aware that the loan application does not talk about the 0% interest option. Don’t worry about that. It is a generic form covering multiple loan programs. Give us a call if you have any questions about this! Click here to read NYSERDA's notice about the 0% financing availability. We encourage you to also enroll with HeatSmart Tompkins, if you haven't already, so that we can help you explore your options: Don't forget to join us for our Lunchtime Installer Case Study Webinar Series.
Dailey Geothermal Case Study June 18 (Thurs) Noon-12:45 pm - webinar REGISTER HERE Snug Planet Case Study June 23 (Tues) Noon-12:45 pm - webinar REGISTER HERE Halco Geothermal Case Study June 25 (Thurs) Noon-12:45 pm - webinar REGISTER HERE NP Environmental Case Study June 30 (Tues) Noon-12:45 pm - webinar REGISTER HERE |
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