Research & Data

The MN ASHP Collaborative worked with Behavioral Insights Team to conduct a mixed-methods research project to identify barriers and motivations around heat pump adoption and messaging strategies for homeowners. The research included a literature review, focus groups with Minnesota homeowners, and an online survey and randomized control trial (RCT) with over 4,000 participants from homeowners in the Midwest (including over 1,750 participants from MN).   

This report provides an analysis of energy and bill savings achievable through the use of dual fuel heat pump RTUs and energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) in Minnesota’s commercial buildings. 

The primary goal is to quantify the potential savings across eight common commercial building types, which represent 72% of the commercial buildings in the state. By focusing on Minnesota’s cold climate and building stock, the study evaluates the performance of these technologies both individually and as a combined system.

We are over halfway through our first year of active market deployment for our Efficient Technology Accelerator (ETA) program. Please read our ETA Q2 2024 Report for full details of our progress and a look ahead of what's coming up next for Minnesota's ETA.

Minnesota's ETA has progressed significantly since 2023, with the establishment of the Minnesota Air Source Heat Pump Collaborative as the main highlight. Please read our ETA Q1 2024 Report for full details of our progress and a look ahead of what's coming up next for Minnesota's ETA. 

The Market Transformation Plan is the culmination of the program development stage, where extensive research and planning is done to prepare the initiative for market launch. 

The purpose of this plan is to summarize key contextual information, lay out the basic program logic and desired end state that informs our market strategy, and the present the fundamental market support activities necessary for success. 

As a market transformation program, ETA will work to overcome market barriers, leading to greater market adoption of targeted technologies, and ultimately, energy savings. In the initial years of a market transformation program, energy savings can be small as it can take time to grow the market. 

This Energy Savings and Market Evaluation Plan focuses on the Commercial Rooftop Unit (RTU) Initiative. Here, we provide a thorough plan to both estimate savings and to measure market progress, prior to launching our initiative in the market. As we learn more about the market through additional research and our market engagement, we will continue to refine and update our approach.

In February 2023, Center for Energy and the Environment (CEE) contracted with Cadeo to conduct a baseline market characterization for commercial rooftop units (RTUs) to inform the development of a high-performance RTU initiative.

This research was designed to provide market intelligence and improve CEE’s overall understanding of the commercial RTU market and supply chain dynamics, identify the barriers and opportunities for increased adoption of efficient equipment, and provide direction for CEE’s program development efforts.

The Minnesota Efficient Technology Accelerator (ETA) is launching an air source heat pump (ASHP) market transformation initiative, focusing on accelerating the adoption of dual fuel, centrally ducted ASHPs. This application type can replace central air conditioners and displace a portion of heating from propane or natural gas furnaces. Market characterization work was needed to identify market barriers, opportunities, and dynamics and successfully launch the initiative. 

This report characterizes the ASHP market and was conducted internally by CEE staff given their in-depth knowledge of and recent research work on ASHPs. 

Air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) are highly efficient space heating and cooling technology that offer an opportunity to electrify space heating, the largest source of energy use in the residential sector. 

This report, “Developing Electric Rates for Hybrid Air Source Heat Pumps in the Midwest,” focuses on dual fuel (hybrid heat) ASHP applications and explores how to answer the issue of increased bills for customers who adopt these systems in the Midwest. 

Addressing this barrier through electrification rates or other means is a critical component of achieving widespread electrification, as well as ensuring electrification does not result in an increased energy burden for those that do electrify. This is particularly important to achieve equitable electrification.

The Market Transformation Plan is the culmination of the program development stage, where extensive research and planning is done to prepare the initiative for market launch. The purpose of this plan is to summarize key contextual information, lay out the basic program logic and desired end state that informs our market strategy, and the present the fundamental market support activities necessary for success.