Ketchikan heat pump program. Final report. [In Alaska]

Technical Report · Wed Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5986102

Heat pumps have proved to be a technically and economically viable heating mechanism for use in Southeast Alaska. The seasonal performance factor of slightly over 2.0 for the units in Ketchikan is about the dame as the SPF for units operating in Juneau. The units in Ketchikan should generally experience higher efficiencies over the long run due to the warmer temperatures in the area. The SPF of over 2.0 indicates that the units would be twice as efficient as electric resistance type heating and thus would help to conserve energy. The annual operation costs for the heat pump are about half the cost of a system using electric resistance heating. A fuel oil system would have annual costs about the same as a heat pump if fuel oil cost $1.00 per gallon and 25% higher if fuel oil cost $1.25 per gallon. The two are presently about comparable in annual costs, but hydro energy is generally less susceptible to future price increases. If the costs of both electricity and fuel oil increases, there may be a greater utilization of wood for heating in the area. The most important point is that the heat pump is much more efficient than an electric resistance type system. If an individual choose to utilize any electric heat system, the utilities should realize that a heat pump will actually help to conserve energy supplies. Proper design and installation, along with adequate insulation in the structure, appear to be the main factors in ensuring satisfactory performance of a heat pump system. An energy audit should be completed - as a minimum - for any building utilizing a heat pump to endure that the building is as energy efficient as possible. This will result in the optimum operation and efficiency of the heat pump system.

• Research Organization: Ketchikan Public Utilities, AK (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC85-81AP10026
• OSTI ID: 5986102
• Report Number(s): DOE/AP/10026-T1; ON: DE85007851
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
BUILDINGS
SPACE HEATING
RESISTANCE HEATING
ALASKA
DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC HEATING
ENERGY AUDITS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
THERMAL INSULATION
AUDITS
DATA
FEDERAL REGION X
HEAT PUMPS
HEATING
INFORMATION
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
USA
320100* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Buildings