Analysis of the Impacts of All-Electric Heat Pumps and Peak Mitigation Technologies on Peak Power Demand in Ontario
All-Electric Heat Pumps in Ontario
All-electric heat pumps are growing in popularity across Ontario because they are incredibly efficient, they save homeowners money, they reduce carbon emissions, they can increase home comfort, and they provide both heating and cooling. Concerns have been raised about the impact of electrifying home heating on power demand during winter peaks. While there is no question that Ontario must increase its power generation as all sectors of our economy electrify in line with our climate goals, this report analyzes the potential for existing technologies to reduce the peak power draws from single family homes that adopt all-electric heat pumps.
Key Takeaways
- Electric thermal storage, home batteries, EV batteries and installation of ground source heat pumps (GSHP) instead of air source heat pumps (ASHP) can all reduce the power demand from all-electric heat pumps on winter peak hours.
- Utilities and governments should incentivize the adoption of electric thermal storage, EV bi-directional chargers and GSHPs for single family homes as these technologies can cost-effectively reduce the need for new electricity generation plus storage and associated transmission and distribution infrastructure to power ASHPs.
This report was prepared for Ontario's Clean Air Alliance Research.