With energy-consuming equipment, such as water heaters and refrigerators, we have good data on energy consumption and can set clear standards accordingly. In some product categories—clothes washers, for example—Energy Star standards were adopted because those standards provide a high enough threshold to represent just the very top segment of the product market (less than 10%). In other product categories—e.g., refrigerators and dishwashers—we set a higher threshold than ENERGY STAR: for example, exceeding those standards by 10% or 20%. With lighting and lighting control equipment, certain generic products qualify, such as compact fluorescent lamps and occupancy/daylighting controls, while in other categories only a subset of products qualify. In some cases, products that meet the energy efficiency requirements are excluded, because of evidence of poor performance or durability. Microturbines are included here because of the potential for cogeneration (combined heat and power) that they offer.
Reliance Electric Heat Pump Water Heater
The Reliance electric heat pump water heater, available in 60- and 80-gallon models, combines heat pump technology with two electrical heating elements. It heats water to 150°F, and offers four operating modes. In hybrid mode, the 60-gallon model provides a first hour rating of 68 gallons, and the 80-gallon model, 84 gallons. Both models are 24.5” wide; the 60-gallon is 67.3” tall and the 80-gallon is 81.5” tall. Both have an energy factor of 2.33 and carry a 10-year tank and parts warranty.
Electric heat-pump water heaters use compressors to evaporate and condense refrigerant in a closed loop, pulling heat from the air—similar to an air conditioner—and transferring that heat into water stored in an insulated tank. They are available as retrofits that connect to standard storage-type water heaters, or as stand-alone products with integral tanks.
A heat-pump water heater can achieve an energy factor of 2.0 or higher, while a storage-type electric water heater relying on electric-resistance heating elements has a theoretical maximum energy factor of 1.0. The performance of some of these products is measured using “coefficient of performance” or COP, but there is no standard for COP, so manufacturer claims may not be comparable.
GreenSpec lists products certified by Energy Star, which certifies heat pump water heaters with an Energy Factor of 2.0 or greater and a first-hour rating of 50 gallons per hour or greater. (First-hour rating is the amount of hot water in gallons a storage water heater can supply per hour.)
Heat pump water heaters dehumidify and cool the air where installed, so when located in conditioned space they help reduce summertime air-conditioning costs and improve comfort. But in the winter, such a heat-pump water heater increases heating loads by cooling the surrounding air. Depending on the climate and the building, heat-pump water heaters may be installed in the living space, garage, basement, or attic. They should not be installed in a space that will fall below 40°F (4°C). Be aware that heat pump water heaters contain fans and compressors, so they produce noise similar to that of a refrigerator.
Certifications
- Energy Star - Heat Pump Water Heaters
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