Heat pump water heaters are expensive and not well suited to our winter climate. (Image courtesy energysavers.gov)

Heat pump water heaters can save you 50 percent on your water heating costs – or can they?

Heat pump water heaters work by removing heat from the air and transferring that heat to water. This makes the conditioned air cooler. That’s fine in the summer, when the air conditioner is running, but in the winter, the only air warm enough to supply a sufficient amount of heat is in the conditioned space of the home. This is air you’ve already warmed with your home’s heating system. By removing heat from your home to warm your water, you‘ll lose much of your water heating savings by having to run your heating system more.

Other requirements of a heat pump water heater that need to be addressed before you purchase are:

• Adequate physical space: Heat pump water heaters are generally larger (height, width, and/or depth) compared to standard water heaters. Limited space in your home may prevent the water heater from being installed in a desired location.
• Adequate air volume and circulation: Heat pump water heaters often require large enough areas and volume for adequate air circulation. Without this, a heat pump water heater’s performance is reduced, particularly if installed in a confined sealed space, such as a closet or a small room.
• Condensate removal: Access to a drain or to the outdoors is required for removing the heat pump water heater’s condensate, generated during operation. Often, existing water heaters will have a drain pan, but additional piping may be required for handling this.
• Noise: Heat pump water heaters hum or whir when the system operates. Depending on the model and location, the noise may be unacceptable.
• Exhaust air: Heat pump water heaters exhaust cool, dehumidified air into their surroundings, which may not be desirable in winter. This means the units will need to turn off heat pump operation to stop exhaust air. That most likely means using a back-up water heater, probably an electric resistance heater, further reducing any energy savings.  

For more information on heat pump water heaters:

The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance has developed specifications for heat pump water heaters that will help manufacturers meet the energy efficiency requirements for customers living in northern climates.

Washington State University Energy Efficiency programs has an easy-to-read fact sheet on HPWH.

Nick Chambers of Wenatchee drove this Nissan Leaf past its expected range -- and enjoyed every minute of it.

Nick Chambers of Wenatchee was among five Americans invited to Nissan headquarters last year to drive a prototype all-electric car. You might say he turned over a new Leaf.

Chambers is a freelance writer and green car expert who serves as AutoTrader.com‘s green car specialist and is a contributing writer for New York Times and Popular Mechanics. He has helped build two websites about the future of transportation from scratch: PluginCars.com and Gas2.org. There are only a dozen or so journalists in the world who focus on sustainable transportation, so they’re well known in the automotive industry, he said.

As a result, Chambers was invited to Yokohama, Japan last year to test drive what he called a “pre- pre-production model” of the all-electric Nissan Leaf.  The date included lunch with Carlos Ghosn, Nissan CEO.

Chambers said he found driving the Leaf “indistinguishable from driving a regular car,” except that it’s so darn quiet. Without the noisy trappings of a combustion engine, motorists can move into “Zen driving,” he said. But the lack of engine clatter creates challenges for carmakers because rattles, squeaks and wind noises that normally aren’t noticeable become more obvious and obnoxious.

At a national media launch in Tennessee last October, Chambers was invited to test the range of the Leaf. Under average conditions, the car’s battery is expected to last about 100 miles, he said. Chambers drove from the Nissan plant in Smyrna to the landmark Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg – a round trip of 116 miles. (And no, he didn’t stop at the distillery for a drink.) He drove on back roads with climate control running, keeping his speed between 50 and 55 mph except for the last eight-mile stretch, when he  dropped down to 45 mph to conserve power.

Chambers is a green-car advocate but said he’s not afraid to point to problems when he sees them. Driving an all-electric or plug-in hybrid (which uses gasoline in addition to electricity) is not for everybody, he said. He’s not planning to buy one – yet.

He and his wife share one car. They have two young children. They like to go camping in faraway places. Sometimes Chambers’ work takes him to Seattle or other cities out of range of an all-electric car.

“It’s not for everybody,” he said. “As soon as there’s a vehicle that’s four-wheel drive, or a mini-van with sliding doors, that’s a plug-in or electric… then I’ll buy.”

Still, he sees electric cars as key to diversifying transportation. They’re part of inevitable change that will need to include biofuels, natural-gas and plug-in vehicles, he said. It’s important to reduce the country’s dependence on oil for natural security and economic reasons. “It’s about consumer choice, security, diversifying the energy supply in this country, and the environment.”

Nissan: Quake in Japan will delay Leaf deliveries (green.autoblog.com)

Keeping energy bills low is high on the priority list of Dave Gerlach, manager of the Wenatchee Community Center building.

When Dave Gerlach began managing the Wenatchee Community Center building in 2006, one of the first things he did was install energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs. It’s one of the last things he did as well, because the bulbs have continued to burn without fail.

“The architect (in charge of renovation and new construction) planned for all new lighting and fixtures (that would accommodate energy-saving bulbs),” Gerlach said. “The choice was judicious, because I replaced bulbs for the first time just 2 ½ months ago.”

There are about 400 fixtures in the center at 504 S. Chelan Ave., outfitted with a variety of compact fluorescent light bulbs and energy-saving T-8 fluorescent tubes.

Keeping the electric bills low is high on Gerlach’s to-do list. It’s a tall order.

The center is a conglomeration of old and new structures, including the former Catholic Church and rectory dating to 1921 and a brand new Veterans Hall built in 2006. The buildings were remodeled and constructed using federal grant funds. The facility serves low-income and disadvantaged families, primarily in the south end of Wenatchee, through agencies offering literacy tutoring, GED instruction, housing, early childhood education and other programs.

The Wenatchee Community Center, 504 S. Chelan Ave., is the former home of St. Joseph's Catholic Church.

The complex covers about 6,000 square feet and is served by seven different heating and cooling units. Large meeting rooms go unoccupied much of the time yet offices need to be kept comfortable for workers five days a week, 8-10 hours a day. Because the church is on the National Register of Historic Places, stained-glass windows can’t be replaced with more energy-efficient models, and ceilings can’t be lowered to improve heating and cooling.

Gerlach has done what he can. Four inches of foam insulation was applied over the old roof, covered by new sheeting. New thermostats hold unoccupied rooms at a specific temperature before switching to warming or cooling just prior to meetings. Wenatchee Valley College instructor Greg Jourdan has been through the buildings and recommended changes to the air handling system, which Gerlach has carried out, to improve comfort and efficiency.

If additional grants or community donations become available, more improvements could be made, Gerlach said.

In the meantime he’s focusing some of his energy outdoors, where a new community garden is growing behind the center. Local residents rent 10 x 10 plots for $5 per year to grow squash, tomatoes, corn and flowers. Sixteen gardeners cultivated 26 plots this summer.

Idle reduction program saves fuel, cuts emissions

New technology is helping the PUD reduce idling time and cut emissions from its diesel trucks. The technology, which is still being tested, allows the engines to be turned off while enabling PUD crews to run electric power equipment from the trucks and keep vehicle systems operating with enhanced battery power.

Initial tests on a sampling of trucks show engine idling time  reduced by about a third and engine life extended by an estimated three years. Watch the video (below) to learn more.