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A comment on North American versus European distribution systems (2011). Parent comment

Re:North American versus European distribution systems (2011) by cpwright on Monday August 26, 2019 @09:22AM (#20799638)
In our area (NY, north of the city) if you can't get natural gas, you heat with oil not electric. Plenty of people also get propane just for the gas stove. The yearly propane tank rental is about $100, since you'll never meet the minimums for a free tank with just a stove.
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Re:North American versus European distribution systems (2011) by alkonaut on Monday August 26, 2019 @09:46AM (#20799822)
> if you can't get natural gas, you heat with oil not electric.

Is this the case for new construction too? Why aren't heat pumps used these days?

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Re:North American versus European distribution systems (2011) by Majromax on Monday August 26, 2019 @12:18PM (#20801055)
> Why aren't heat pumps used these days?

They lose efficiency in very cold conditions (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_source_heat_pumps#In_cold_...). Albany, New York (https://www.weather.gov/aly/SpecialDataALB) has an official all-time record low of -28F (-33C), which is well below the point where air-source heat pumps have any meaningful efficiency advantage over even resistive heating.

Heat-pump solutions that use the ground as their heatsink are much more expensive because of the excavation required.

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Re:North American versus European distribution systems (2011) by AnssiH on Monday August 26, 2019 @01:55PM (#20802115)
Majority of new single homes in Finland have used geothermal heat pumps for the last ~5 years now (source e.g. https://www.energiatehokaskoti.fi/suunnittelu/talotekniikan_...).
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Re:North American versus European distribution systems (2011) by alkonaut on Monday August 26, 2019 @02:11PM (#20802248)
Yes same in Sweden. I mean I’m sure upstate New York is equally freezing occasionally, but if heat pumps work in Northern Finland/Sweden one would think few places would be “too cold”.

What we do have in Sweden is cheap renewable electricity so choosing heat pump over oil/gas doesn’t just mean electric it means renewable over fossil too.

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Re:North American versus European distribution systems (2011) by kileywm on Monday August 26, 2019 @12:38PM (#20801243)
> Why aren't heat pumps used these days?

Heat pumps are likely not used in New York state because most of them cannot warm the house sufficiently during the coldest winter temperatures (0F or less).

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Re:North American versus European distribution systems (2011) by fulafel on Monday August 26, 2019 @01:45PM (#20801993)
Air heat pumps are common in the Nordics with as cold, or coldet, climates. But ground heat pumps are better. (You want good insulation too obviously)
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