INTRODUCTION
Earlier this year, the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced new minimum efficiency standards for an official cold climate certification for heat pumps, developed in conjunction with Energy Star. These national standards are slated to go into effect on January 1st, 2023. The new standards will increase the set minimum efficiency required by 8-10%1 and will identify equipment designed to be operated without the need for a fossil fuel or electric resistance heat source backup and the associated winter peak risk. An estimated 70% of current products sold nationally will fail to meet the new requirements2. The percentage is likely lower in the northeast where higher-performing cold climate equipment is more commonly sold. In the Northeast, equipment can be sold that does not meet the new efficiency standards as long as it was manufactured before January 1st, 2023.