Heat pumps

Heat pumps provide heating and cooling

No matter the temperature, heat is always available in the air around us and in the ground. Heat pumps take advantage of that by moving heat in or out of buildings to keep spaces comfortable. Because they move heat rather than produce it, heat pumps operate with high efficiency.

Rebates are available for air-to-water, cold-climate, and geothermal heat pump installations.

Energy control rebates are available for installations served on our Dual Fuel Rate or Deferred Load Rate.

CIP efficiency rebates

Conservation Improvement Program (CIP) efficiency rebates are available for heat pump systems that meet required efficiency levels—regardless of the rate on which it’s served.

Customers installing a CIP-eligible heat pump may qualify for financing options in addition to receiving rebates.

A heat pump installed as a replacement for an operational natural gas heating system is not eligible for CIP rebates or financing. It may qualify for energy control rebates.

In recognition of implementation of new testing standards, equipment rating requirements are provided in both SEER/HSPF and new metric terms, SEER2/HSPF2. In 2023 we’ll accept air-source heat pump equipment rated under either testing metric as long as the approved rating level is documented for that metric.

* Units labeled as ENERGY STAR® or that show proof of minimum ratings qualify for CIP efficiency rebates. ENERGY STAR® CCHPs must also meet HSPF or HSPF2 ratings.

Geothermal heat pump ratings

Energy control rebates

Limit one rebate per installation. Models with qualifying efficiency criteria may be found through AHRI at ahridirectory.org. AWHP efficiencies will be based on manufacturer specification sheets and must show a minimum COP rating of 1.7 at A5W110, which means that at an outdoor ambient temperature of 5°F, the unit must deliver 110°F supply water.

Energy control rebates totaling more than $10,000 require prior approval by program manager.

Cold-climate heat pumps (CCHPs)

Cold-climate heat pump systems operate at an overall seasonal efficiency of 250% and offer customers heating and cooling at a fraction of the cost of fossil fuel systems. Our rebates make these systems competitive to install and their hyper-efficient operation delivers comfort down to sub-zero temperatures.

CCHPs must meet the ratings listed in the table on page 13 to qualify for either a CIP energy-efficiency rebate or an energy-control rebate.

Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs)

GHPs are clean, safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly and can deliver four to six units of heat for each unit of energy used. As a result, GHPs can reduce annual heating and cooling costs by up to 70 percent.

Air-to-water heat pumps (AWHPS)

AWHPs improve the efficiency of hydronic underfloor heat storage systems by using the free energy available in the air and transferring it through water for heating.

An AWHP can be installed to upgrade an existing hydronic underfloor heating system or applied to new systems.

Systems can include electric resistance backup heating for the coldest weather. And, when paired with a buffer tank, an AWHP provides added savings by preheating domestic water.

Learn more about AWHPs at otpco.com/AWHP.

Buffer tank or desuperheater

Add a buffer tank to a CIP-qualified AWHP or a desuperheater to a CIP-qualified GHP installation and receive an additional $200 per ton rebate when used for domestic hot water preheating. Buffer tank requires heating coils. Tonnage based on the associated heat pump unit. Limit 20 tons.