This week in buildings, land and industry decarbonization news, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has new report showing that heat pumps would cut energy bills for most homes in this country. NREL based its findings on a statistical analysis of 550,000 dwellings, concluding that homes with air conditioning would save money. Those without air conditioning are more likely to see higher bills, but get efficient cooling in return.
Energy News Network has a story on how the weatherization industry is working to fill potential gaps in energy efficiency funding under the Inflation Reduction Act. The industry hopes to avoid the boom-bust cycles that followed EE funding in the stimulus bill passed in 2009.
Clean Technica has the details on a new water heater model that is able to run at 120 volts, instead of the 240 volts typical for a major home appliance. The lower voltage means those with homes lacking 240-volt circuits can replace gas-fired water heaters without paying for additional electrical work.
Maryland Matters has an op-ed by the director of a 50-year old conservation group on how the state’s farmland is being targeted by solar developers. He argues against House Bill 1407, which would prevent counties from setting zoning laws or other regulations restricting wind and solar farms, calling it a “big money land grab.”
You can read all that more in this week’s Intelligence Report:
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