High electricity prices are getting in the way of heat pump installations

"Current energy prices, including the rising cost of electricity, mean that homeowners may experience higher heating bills by replacing their current heating systems with heat pumps-at least in some regions of the country. Heat pumps, which use electricity to move heat from the outside in, are used in only 14% of U.S. households. They are common primarily in warm southern states such as Florida where winter heating needs are relatively low."

"Across the U.S., people heat their homes with a range of fuels, mainly because of differences in climate, pricing, and infrastructure. In colder regions-northern states and states across the Rocky Mountains-most people use natural gas or propane to provide reliable winter heating. In California, most households also use natural gas for heating. In warmer, southern states, including Florida and Texas, where electricity prices are cheaper, most households use electricity for heating-either in electric furnaces, baseboard resistance heating, or to run heat pumps."

Rising energy and electricity prices can make switching from existing heating systems to electric heat pumps more expensive for homeowners in parts of the United States. Heat pumps move heat from the outside into homes using electricity and currently serve about 14% of U.S. households, concentrated in warm southern states; only about 5% of Northeast households use them. County-level comparisons of average household heating bills reveal large regional variation driven by climate, fuel pricing, and infrastructure. Colder and mountainous areas tend to use natural gas or propane; California favors gas. Rural homes more often rely on oil and propane, while cities are likelier to use natural gas. Cost-effectiveness therefore varies by county, and non-price factors can impede adoption.

Read at Fast Company