[HardlyCurious]

Why do you think an electric heat pump will increase comfort over oil heating? It's not that I think heat pumps are bad, I just didn't know there was a claim of any improvements beyond efficiency / environmental benefits.

[mperham]

They keep the temperature more even because they can run at a variable rate, versus a furnace which is either running 100% or not at all.

[mcronce]

Note that this isn't true for all heat pumps, nor all furnaces. A forced-air system can vary the air handler speed, and a hydronic system can vary the water temperature; with heat pumps, there exist variable-speed compressors, but there also exist single-speed compressors.

[htss2013]

If there is no other difference besides they use less energy to produce the same amount of heating, then you have extra money, and extra money can buy lots of comforts. Why does the comfort have do come directly from the pump?

[talldatethrow]

Electricity in California is 36 cents or more per kw. Maybe it makes sense in states paying 6 to 15 cents, but I assume I'll end up paying more if forced to switch to heat pumps.

[snapplebobapple]

The history of why you guys overpay so much is fascinating. Its a tail of good intentions causing bad unintended consequences. The path to hell is certainly paved with good intention.

[curriculum]

California is moving towards a system which would introduce a monthly fixed cost based on your income, while simultaneously decreasing the cost of electricity per kWh (see: AB 205). Heat pumps become more attractive after such a change.

[pxmpxm]

Taking money from person A and giving it to person B doesn't actually make anything cheaper.

[curriculum]

My claim wasn't that an Income Graduated Fixed Charge would make your electric bill go down from what it currently is -- it could very well go up.

My claim is that, assuming an IGFC is implemented and the marginal cost of electricity goes down considerably, then a heat pump becomes cheaper to operate. You'll be paying the same fixed cost to be connected to the grid, whether you have a gas furnace or an electric heat pump. It might just be that the newly-lowered electric rates finally make a heat pump more cost-effective than a gas furnace.

[talldatethrow]

Wait, so once they set your rate you can use as much electricity as you want and still pay the same rate?? That's insane. Crypto miners and EV drivers rejoice.

[curriculum]

Not quite. Right now, (most) California residential electric bills are entirely volumetric, meaning that you pay for what you use — if you use zero, you pay (close to) zero. Under the new system, everyone’s bill will instead have a sizable fixed component (determined by household income) for being connected to the grid, and a volumetric component (determined by the amount that you use). The new price per kilowatt hour will be smaller than the existing rates.

[HardlyCurious]

Energy cost has long been viewed as a means to constrain consumption. This new approach seems to undermine that approach given the reduced cost per volume.

If I'm paying entirely based on volume, then making my home twice as efficient makes my bill half as much. But under this new system, I wouldn't realize the same savings.

Seems like a policy set with priorities other then environmental protections.

[yencabulator]

Not the parent, but having heating and cooling both solved with one gadget makes this room much more comfortable than before.