Deep Red State Catches Electric Heat Pump Fever, Bigly

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Electrical heat pumps are chasing fossil fuels out of the heating and cooling enterprise, and they’re profitable hearts and minds no matter partisan politics. The most recent instance comes from the gleefully crimson state of South Carolina, the place the Volkswagen-backed, retro-themed electrical automobile startup Scout Motors is busy putting in an industrial-scale warmth pump in its new manufacturing unit to the tune of the recent new sluggish jam I’m Your Warmth Pump.

The Warmth Pump Revolution Hits South Carolina, Industrial-Scale Version

Coincidentally, I’m Your Warmth Pump additionally has a retro 1970s vibe to it. Hat tip to South Carolina Public Radio for a function story on the 2 home-state musicians behind the sultry tune, which actually is all about warmth pumps. You may see (and listen to) for your self on YouTube.

In the meantime, Volkswagen has been evoking basic automobiles of the Nineteen Sixties and ’70ths to be a focus for potential electrical automobile consumers, globally and domestically. The corporate’s Polestar EV department, for instance, is credited with the bones of the new Ford electric Capri in Europe.

Volkswagen’s new Scout Motors department is working the US angle. Volkswagen nailed rights to the Scout model when it acquired Navistar (previously Worldwide Harvester) in 2020. The unique model gas-powered model of the automobile was produced from from 1960 to 1980.

Within the newest information about Scout Motors, on July ninth, the worldwide agency MAN Vitality Options enthusiastically pronounced that it has been tapped to produce its industrial-scale warmth pump to Scout’s forthcoming manufacturing unit in South Carolina.

“This major venture is part of a multi-billion investment by Volkswagen AG in the American company, which is producing the next generation of fully electric pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles (SUVs), echoing the iconic Scout vehicles built from the 1960s to 1980,” MAN enthused.

Industrial-Scale Warmth Pumps Are Coming For Your Fossil Fuels

CleanTecnnica has spilled loads of ink on the importance of warmth pumps for fast decarbonization, focusing primarily available on the market for houses (here and herefor instance). An industrial-scale warmth pump is a distinct beast altogether. MAN will set up a factory-wide warmth pump system with two huge compressors, every weighing in at 12.5 megawatts.

“With the factory sprawling across approximately 1,100 acres, the manufacturing site faces substantial heating and cooling demands,” MAN explains.

By way of the broader power transition, MAN notes that the warmth pumps will assist Volkswagen meet its 2040 carbon impartial purpose. The President and CEO of Scout Motors, Scott Keogh, additionally emphasised broad sustainability objectives in a press assertion saying the brand new warmth pump system.

“As we build our company, production center and ultimately our vehicles, we are taking great care to treat our community, air, land, water and people with respect,” Scott stated.

“We’re just getting started,” he emphasised, indicating that the corporate has additional decarbonization plans within the works.

MAN can be simply getting began. “This project could serve as a blueprint for future production facilities in the US and all over the world,” explains Uwe Lauber, CEO of MAN Vitality Options.

South Carolina To Electrification Motion: Maintain My Beer

Oh the irony, it burns. On the one hand, South Carolina is certainly one of two dozen states working to guard fossil power pursuits by clamping down on corporations that comply with ESG (atmosphere, social, governance) investing rules.

Alternatively, South Carolina is chest-deep within the decarbonization motion. That features saddling ratepayers with the notoriously delayed and over-budget growth of the Vogtle nuclear power plantin addition to pulling many taxpayer {dollars} collectively to incentivize clear tech producers like Scout Motors.

To quote only one instance, final yr South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster put his John Hancock on a brand new invoice setting the wheels in movement for an incentive package deal of $1.29 billion to land the new Scout EV factory. That might be the identical Governor Henry McMaster who signed the anti-ESG invoice H3690 into regulation earlier this yr.

“The bill (HB 3690) ensures all investment decisions…are based solely on maximizing the highest rate of return for participants and beneficiaries and not based on factors like the environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) movement,” the Governor’s workplace defined.

“This bill is yet another example of our commitment to responsible financial stewardship and it will safeguard the interests of our retirees and taxpayers from the liberal ESG agenda,” McMaster instructed his social media followers.

Extra Warmth Pump Exercise Stirring The Decarbonization Pot

Apparently McMaster didn’t get his personal memo concerning the liberal ESG agenda, or maybe state lawmakers count on to burn the candle at each ends. Whereas a brand new power invoice sailed via the legislature earlier this yr with a provision approving a new gas power plantthe state has additionally utilized for tens of millions of federal bucks from the house power improve provisions of the 2022 Inflation Discount Act.

In case you have any ideas about that, drop a observe within the remark thread. As of this writing, the South Carolina Energy Office is advising shoppers that the state’s IRA-funded rebate program is not going to be up and operating till subsequent yr. When it does, maintain on to your hats. South Carolina expects to obtain greater than $137 million from the pockets of federal taxpayers, with a portion particularly devoted to the Residence Electrification and Equipment Rebates program.

Their web site both wants an replace or a brand new state-based rebate program has emerged with the approval of the state legislature. Both manner, dwelling power companies corporations all around the state have already begun celebrating. “The South Carolina state government has announced its new HVAC Rebate Program and Evans Heating & Cooling is happy to help its customers and community take advantage of the program,” one agency introduced in a press launch dated April 8, 2024.

Within the launch, Evans drew specific consideration to the inclusion of electrical warmth pumps within the rebate program, and never only for house HVAC programs. Warmth pump clothes dryers and water heaters are additionally included (see extra warmth pump background here).

One other Group Warmth Pump Hug For US Taxpayers

If all this feels like excellent news for supporters of the brand new fuel energy plant, properly, perhaps. Possibly not. Whereas South Carolina lawmakers had been busy crafting laws in assist of fossil power, the state’s personal Workplace of Resiliency (SCOR) has laid different plans. It utilized for, and acquired, a grant of greater than $124 million from the federally funded Photo voltaic For All neighborhood photo voltaic program, which is run by the US Environmental Safety Company.

“The primary objectives of the program include expanding residential distributed solar and solar energy programsproviding resilient power solutions, diversifying the grid, and generating wealth and job opportunities within local communities,” SCOR explains.

That’s excellent news for warmth pump followers looking for to shed fossil fuels from the grid combine, although the state has loads of catching as much as do when it comes to renewable power growth. The US Photo voltaic Vitality Industries Affiliation, for one, doesn’t seem significantly excited for photo voltaic progress within the South Carolina, however they do anticipate {that a} hair over 2.6 gigawatts will come on-line over the following 5 years.

Control the US Division of Vitality’s efforts decarbonize the industrial sector for a warmth pump makeover. Amongst current DOE grant awardees is the South Carolina firm Ice Airwhich focuses on water-sourced warmth pumps.

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Picture: In one more signal that the electrification trend is widening and deepening, the brand new Scout Motors electrical automobile manufacturing unit in South Carolina will apply new warmth pump expertise to assist decarbonize its HVAC system (courtesy of US Division of Vitality).