Clean Energy Canada: More for Less

Clean Energy Canada’s new report, More for Less, highlights B.C.’s heat pump opportunity and makes the case for a clean heating and cooling action plan. B.C. is faced with a triple heat threat: sweltering summers, heating bills in winter contributing to affordability concerns, and a warming globe. This report, based on newly commissioned modelling, shows that heat pumps could help B.C. save $675 million in household energy bills and 3.5 million tonnes of emissions annually, while providing active cooling to many households that don’t currently have access.  

At the same time, heat pumps present an energy efficiency opportunity in a province where 40% of homes are heated with electric resistance heating and where uptake of inefficient air conditioning units is rapidly growing. If all heating and cooling systems were switched over, province-wide heat pump uptake would actually result in lower annual electricity demand for heating and cooling than the current situation.  

Unlocking these opportunities, and doing so without leaving anyone behind, requires the province to have a plan. Through a set of targeted actions, the province can protect vulnerable people against heat waves, drive electrification, and realize energy efficiency gains.