NEW ORLEANS, LA — The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a historic $169 million for nine projects to accelerate electric heat pump manufacturing at 15 sites across the country. The selected projects are the first awards from DOE’s authorization to utilize the Defense Production Act (DPA) to increase domestic production of five key clean energy technologies, including electric heat pumps.
“Getting more American-made electric heat pumps on the market will help families and businesses save money with efficient heating and cooling technology,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.
Heat pumps are critical to reducing the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels, bolstering national security and boosting energy independence while lowering consumer energy costs, improving energy efficiency and mitigating the climate crisis.
The lead organizations are listed below along with their proposed project locations and technologies.
- Armstrong International, Inc. (Three Rivers, Michigan) – industrial heat pumps
- Bard Manufacturing Company (Madison, Georgia) – single package vertical unit air conditioning and heat pumps
- Copeland LP (Sidney, Ohio; Ava, Missouri; Lebanon, Missouri and Cudahy, Wisconsin) – compressors (heat pump component)
- Honeywell International (Geismar, Louisiana) – refrigerant (heat pump component)
- Hydro Temp Corporation (Pocahontas, Arkansas and Albany, New York) – geothermal heat pumps
- Ice Air, LLC (Spartanburg, South Carolina) – cold climate heat pumps and geothermal heat pumps
- Mitsubishi Electric U.S. Inc (Kentucky) – compressors (heat pump component)
- Gradient (Michigan) – easy-to-install room heat pumps
- York International Corporation (Wichita, Kansas; Waynesboro, Pennsylvania and San Antonio, Texas) – residential and commercial heat pumps
DOE anticipates moving quickly on another round of DPA investments in early 2024 to secure domestic manufacturing supply chains. DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) leads its DPA investments, including the DPA heat pump program.