Join the Dual Fuel Heat Pump Pilot
Get a free heat pump and installation when you participate in the pilot program.
Energy Trust will install heat pumps in qualified homes that have existing gas furnaces at no cost to you, a value up to $12,000.*
The Dual Fuel Heat Pump Pilot Program is a study that evaluates energy consumption and installation costs for single family homes that utilize both an electric heat pump and a natural gas forced air furnace for heat.
All systems installed during this Pilot will use the electric heat pump as your home’s new primary heating system while the existing gas furnace will remain in place as a back-up source. The new heating system is yours to keep when the study is complete.
*Actual savings depend on equipment being replaced and new system configuration.
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Establish your eligibility
To participate in this study, your single-family home must be located in Oregon and have a functioning gas furnace that is less than five years old and serving as your home’s primary heating source. You cannot have a central air conditioning system or central heat pump installed. You must have electricity provided by PGE or Pacific Power and have natural gas provided by NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas or Avista. You must be the homeowner and primary resident.
You must meet Energy Trust’s moderate-income guidelines. You must agree to the terms and conditions set out in the study, including sharing meter energy usage data with Energy Trust.
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Apply
Interested applicants should fill out the Pre-Approval Study Application. Once this application is completed, you will be contacted to schedule:
1. An over-the-phone or virtual site review
2. An in-person site assessment conducted by an Energy Trust representative to further evaluate the home for study eligibility.
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Site review with an Energy Trust representative
A phone/virtual site review in addition to an in-home assessment are both required to fully verify study eligibility and to collect important home characteristic data prior to the study beginning.
If the Energy Trust representative deems your home eligible, they will help you schedule a site visit with a participating contractor.
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Site visit with participating contractor
If the contractor determines the heat pump can be installed within the study price cap ($12,000 per home), and no other repairs are needed to complete installation, they will schedule a date for equipment installation. There is no charge to you for the assessment, equipment or installation.
Ineligible customers may be eligible for other Energy Trust offers determined during the in-home assessment stage.
Qualified participants will receive a heat pump valued at up to $12,000.*
| Incentive | Requirements | |
|---|---|---|
| Dual Fuel Heat Pump | Up to $12,000 |
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*Actual savings depend on equipment being replaced and new system configuration.
A Dual Fuel heat pump is when an electric heat pump is added to your existing natural gas furnace. The heat pump then provides heat to the home first with the gas furnace providing backup for colder days when outside temperatures are below 35⁰ F.
A dual fuel heat pump combines the best elements of an electric heat pump and a gas furnace. The heat pump provides efficient heating during milder temperatures and automatically switches over to the furnace in colder temperatures. You also get the benefit of air conditioning from the heat pump during the summer.
Nothing! The cost of the dual fuel heat pump, including installation, will be covered entirely by Energy Trust of Oregon. The customer will still be responsible for their electric & gas utility bills and regular system maintenance but the equipment and installation itself will be provided free of charge.
The Energy Trust Home Retrofit Specifications Manual defines primary heating system as “the main heating equipment that is permanently installed and designed to provide the majority of heat inside a home, regardless of use or condition.” For this study, the home’s primary heating system must be a functioning gas furnace less than 5 years old.
Customers will likely see lower natural gas bills but higher electricity bills. This is because you will use your gas furnace to heat your home much less, and the energy consumption shifts to the electric heat pump. In the summer, you may also see increased electric bills if you choose to use your new heat pump as a central air conditioner.
Energy Trust has identified your household as previously receiving utility funded weatherization or heating services through a community action agency program, or as a participant in an Energy Trust program where you received an incentive for a gas furnace, making your home an ideal site for a heat pump system
After reviewing your Pre-Approval Study Application, we will contact you to schedule an assessment, or you will receive a notification via email if your home is not eligible. Applicants that were not accepted into the study will receive an email informing them why they do not qualify for the study and providing resources for other incentives that can help reduce their home energy use. Applicants that were accepted will be contacted to set up a time for an in-home visit with an Energy Trust representative who will verify your home is fit for the study.
We have a specific list of homes identified for this study. However, referrals will be considered if funding is available and the quota for participating homes has not yet been met.
If you didn’t qualify it is likely you don’t meet the Customer and Home Criteria referenced earlier. If you feel you should have qualified, please call us at 1.866.311.1822.
An Energy Trust representative will be at your home for approximately one hour to investigate the condition of your home’s:
- Attic, wall and floor insulation
- Windows
- Existing gas furnace
- Ductwork
- Thermal envelope
- Electrical panel
- Exterior siding and foundation
- Perimeter for outdoor heat pump unit location
To ensure your new heat pump and existing gas furnace work together effectively and efficiently, your contractor will likely upgrade your thermostat as part of the dual fuel heat pump system installation process. To get the most out of your new dual fuel heat pump, Energy Trust strongly encourages you to leave the new thermostat in place and not replace it.
You can contact us at DualFuelHeatPumpStudy@energytrust.org with your name and address letting us know you would not like to move forward with the installation and would like to be removed from the list.
If your home has been identified as an eligible residence to install a dual fuel heat pump, we will coordinate installation with one of our participating contractors to perform the work.
By participating in this study, you agree to allow Energy Trust to access your meter energy usage data via your utility provider(s) as well as the temperature and energy information collected by the thermostat in your home. Energy Trust will use this information to determine if dual fuel heat pump systems provide energy savings but will not share or use your data outside the purposes of this study.
You may call Energy Trust’s main number at 866.311.1822 or email DualFuelHeatPumpStudy@energytrust.org to ask any questions or verify information about this study.