Vice President Kamala Harris joined U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm in New York Nov. 1 to announce the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has confirmed the first six industry partners to participate in the Cold Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge. 

Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating’s new H2i R2-Series heat pumps provide year-round comfort, even in extreme climates. 

Working with Mechanical Solutions Inc. (MSI), a small business in New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Building Technologies Office has found a potential solution to allow for cold climate heat pumps: a “supercharger” that enables heat pumps to efficiently operate in the coldest U.S. climates, with zero backup heat.

Most heat pumps in colder climates still require some sort of backup heat — often an oil- or gas-fired furnace — but they are an excellent option that can provide customers with a more energy-efficient year-round solution.