

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>0:05</time>
      <p>
          You&#39;re   listening   to   Peaks   to   Power,   a   podcast   by   the   U.S.   Department   of   Energy&#39;s   National   Laboratory   of   the   Rockies.   I&#39;m   Taylor   Mankle.
      </p>

        <cite>Kerrin Jeromin</cite>
      <time>0:13</time>
      <p>
          And   I&#39;m   Kerrin   Jeromin. 

      </p>

        <cite>Kerrin Jeromin</cite>
      <time>0:14</time>
      <p>
           
      </p>

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>0:15</time>
      <p>
          Do   you   hear   that,   Kerrin?
      </p>

        <cite>Kerrin Jeromin</cite>
      <time>0:16</time>
      <p>
          I   do.   It&#39;s   like   a   hum   of   some   sort.   It   sounds   like   a   fan   or   a   refrigerator,   something   like   that.
      </p>

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>0:23</time>
      <p>
          Yeah,   close.   That   is   actually   the   sound   of   the   technology   at   the   center   of   today&#39;s   lab   notes   episode.   It&#39;s   a   heat   pump.
      </p>

        <cite>Kerrin Jeromin</cite>
      <time>0:31</time>
      <p>
          Oh,   yes,   yes,   I   should   have   guessed.   Heat   pumps   are   everywhere   these   days.   They   keep   our   refrigerators   and   freezers   running,   they   power   window   air   conditioners,   they   can   cool   off   our   data   centers,   and   they&#39;re   also   a   source   of   heating   and   cooling   in   American   homes.   So   before   we   jump   into   today&#39;s   show,   let&#39;s   level   set.   Taylor,   can   you   explain   to   our   listeners   what   exactly   is   a   heat   pump?
      </p>

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>0:52</time>
      <p>
          Yeah,   sure   thing.   A   heat   pump   uses   a   refrigeration   cycle   to   move   heat   from   one   place   to   another.   Your   window   air   conditioner,   for   instance,   is   a   great   example.   It   has   coils   filled   with   refrigerant   gas,   which   absorbs   heat   from   your   home   in   the   summer,   and   is   compressed,   which   raises   the   heat   and   pressure.   This   hot,   pressurized   gas   flows   into   another   set   of   coils   outdoors   and   gives   off   its   heat,   keeping   the   living   area   nice   and   cool.
      </p>

        <cite>Kerrin Jeromin</cite>
      <time>1:19</time>
      <p>
          Perfect.   Alright,   a   mini-split   air   source   heat   pump   does   the   same   thing:   absorbing   heat   and   pumping   it   outdoors.   Except   it   has   one   bonus.   By   simply   pushing   a   button,   reversing   a   valve,   you   can   change   the   direction   of   the   heat   flow,   using   it   to   heat   your   home   in   the   winter   and   cool   your   home   in   the   summer.
      </p>

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>1:38</time>
      <p>
          Now,   a   big   benefit   of   heat   pumps   is   that   they   can   be   paired   with   another   system,   such   as   an   oil   boiler   or   propane   furnace,   to   allow   homeowners   to   switch   to   fuel   heating   if   the   heat   pump   can&#39;t   keep   up   with   demand.
      </p>

        <cite>Kerrin Jeromin</cite>
      <time>1:51</time>
      <p>
          These   are   some   of   the   ways   heat   pumps   can   add   reliability   and   cut   costs   for   consumers,   something   that   laboratory   researchers   have   in   mind   as   they   work   to   better   this   technology.
      </p>

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>2:00</time>
      <p>
          Now   that&#39;s   important   because   these   appliances   have   become   more   common   in   U.S.   homes   in   recent   years.   But   there&#39;s   a   problem.   Because   heat   pumps   contain   refrigerant,   they   have   to   be   installed   carefully   by   a   licensed   HVAC   technician   who   can   handle   the   chemicals   safely,   which   means   we   need   more   trained   professionals.
      </p>

        <cite>Kerrin Jeromin</cite>
      <time>2:18</time>
      <p>
          Yes,   indeed.   And   to   pick   it   up   from   here   and   explain   how   the   National   Laboratory   of   the   Rockies   is   supporting   this   growing   workforce   need   and   helping   make   this   technology   more   affordable,   we   welcome   in   Molly   Rettig.   Molly   is   the   communications   lead   for   the   lab&#39;s   Alaska   campus   and   our   guest   host   today.   Welcome,   Molly.
      </p>

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>2:36</time>
      <p>
          Molly   works   with   a   team   who   researches   and   develops   heat   pump   technology.   Molly,   we   are   glad   to   have   you   on   the   podcast   today.
      </p>

        <cite>Molly Rettig</cite>
      <time>2:43</time>
      <p>
          Thanks.   Glad   to   be   here   to   add   some   perspective   to   this   topic.
      </p>

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>2:46</time>
      <p>
          We&#39;re   so   glad   to   have   you.   First,   could   you   tell   us   what   people   like   about   heat   pumps?
      </p>

        <cite>Molly Rettig</cite>
      <time>2:52</time>
      <p>
          Well,   we   talk   to   a   lot   of   consumers   in   Alaska   who   are   getting   heat   pumps,   and   for   a   few   key   reasons.   First,   they   like   having   an   alternative   to   oil   or   natural   gas   for   heating.   Because   heat   pumps   are   electric,   they   require   no   combustion   inside   the   home.   And   second,   heat   pumps   provide   cooling   in   addition   to   heating.   So   it&#39;s   kind   of   a   two-for-one   device.
      </p>

        <cite>Kerrin Jeromin</cite>
      <time>3:11</time>
      <p>
          Yes,   they   do.   In   fact,   my   current   home   has   a   heat   pump   installed,   so   I&#39;ve   seen   how   they   work   firsthand.   All   right,   Molly,   can   you   tell   us   more   about   their   use   in   American   homes   and   how   widespread   they   are?
      </p>

        <cite>Molly Rettig</cite>
      <time>3:23</time>
      <p>
          Sure,   Kerrin.   They   may   seem   new   because   they&#39;re   growing   so   fast,   but   heat   pumps   have   actually   been   around   for   decades.   If   you   grew   up   in   the   southern   US   in   the   1970s   and   eighties,   you   may   have   had   a   heat   pump   in   your   home.   Now   that   they&#39;re   getting   more   efficient   in   colder   climates,   we&#39;re   seeing   a   growth   in   the   northern   United   States.   That   includes   Alaska   as   well   as   the   Northeast   and   Northwest.   I   spoke   with   John   Winkler,   a   senior   researcher   at   the   lab   who&#39;s   been   studying   heat   pumps   for   over   a   decade.   And   he   explains   this   trend   a   bit   more.
      </p>

        <cite>Jon Winkler</cite>
      <time>4:11</time>
      <p>
          Both of those regions of the country, homes typically weren&#39;t constructed with air conditioning. 

And you know, if home was built with hydronic heating or electric baseboard heating and it lacks an air distribution system, it lacks ductwork, the minisplits could be a good fit for that home. So we see a lot of those homes in the Northeast and Northwest. And
      </p>

        <cite>Jon Winkler</cite>
      <time>4:11</time>
      <p>
            so   the   heat   pump   market   there   has   been   growing   pretty   steadily   for   quite   a   while   now.
      </p>

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>4:15</time>
      <p>
          So   Molly,   John   Winkler   was   actually   one   of   the   researchers   at   the   National   Laboratory   of   the   Rockies   who   invented   a   technology   to   make   the   installation   of   heat   pumps   easier,   right?
      </p>

        <cite>Molly Rettig</cite>
      <time>4:24</time>
      <p>
          That&#39;s   right.   It&#39;s   called   EcoSnap.   Snap,   like   snap   your   fingers.   EcoSnap   is   a   technology   that   bundles   refrigerant   and   electrical   lines   into   an   innovative   snap-together   piece   connecting   the   indoor   and   outdoor   units,   enabling   contractors   to   install   heat   pumps   without   handling   refrigerant   during   installation.   This   can   even   open   things   up   for   really   savvy   DIY-ers.
      </p>

        <cite>Kerrin Jeromin</cite>
      <time>4:46</time>
      <p>
          Ooh,   and   it&#39;s   helping   the   energy   workforce   to   manage   this   influx   of   interest   in   adding   mini-splits.   How   did   it   all   begin? It&#39;s   an   interesting   story   that   actually   begins   not   with   heating   but   with   air   conditioning.   Twelve   years   ago,   Winkler   and   his   colleague   Chuck   Booten,   also   a   senior   researcher   at   the   National   Laboratory   of   the   Rockies,   were   measuring   the   performance   of   window   air   conditioners,   the   main   source   of   cooling   for   most   American   homes.   At   the   time,   mini   splits   were   new   on   the   U.S.   market.   Although   they   were   far   more   efficient   than   window   air   conditioners,   they   were   also   way   more   expensive   and   more   complicated   to   install.   In   other   words,   not   as   simple   as   a   homeowner   lifting   a   box   into   the   window.   The   two   researchers   had   an   idea.   If   they   could   make   it   easier   to   install   mini   splits,   it   could   bring   down   the   cost   and   make   the   technology   accessible   to   more   consumers.
      </p>

        <cite>Jon Winkler</cite>
      <time>5:35</time>
      <p>
          So   after   doing   some   brainstorming   and   things,   we   kind   of   came   up   with   this   EcoSnap   heat   pump   concept,   which   was   basically   an   easy   way   to   install   a   heat   pump,   kind   of   take   all   the   specific   skills   out   of   the   equation   and   allow   people   to   install   them   on   their   own.   The   concept   that   we   we   patented   was   more   like   the   integration   of   the   indoor   and   outdoor   units   and   having   kind   of   a   simplified   process   to   deal   with   the   mechanical   mounting   of   the   unit.   And   then   not   only   making   refrigerant   line   connections,   but   also   making   the   electrical   connection.   And   so   EcoSnap   is   powered   from   an   indoor   receptacle   similar   to   like   a   window   air   conditioner.   And   so   the   EcoSnap   connector   really   makes   it   easy   for   the   installer   in   terms   of   making   all   the   electrical   connections.
      </p>

        <cite>Kerrin Jeromin</cite>
      <time>6:18</time>
      <p>
          Okay,   so   fast   forward   10   years,   through   a   number   of   patents   and   awards,   and   they   had   a   prototype   ready   to   roll   out.   Researchers   tested   the   EcoSnap   technology   at   our   lab   in   Fairbanks,   Alaska,   where   heat   pumps   are   taking   off.   All   right,   Molly,   talk   more   about   this   project   and   what   we   learned.
      </p>

        <cite>Molly Rettig</cite>
      <time>6:36</time>
      <p>
          The   goal   is   to   get   this   technology   into   the   marketplace   and   allow   a   broader   group   of   people   to   install   heat   pumps.   First,   we   want   to   make   sure   it&#39;s   actually   as   easy   as   we   think.   So   last   summer   we   had   an   installer   training   at   the   lab&#39;s   Alaska   campus   where   we   invited   people   from   all   backgrounds   to   practice   installing   the   system.   Over   the   course   of   the   summer,   two   dozen   people   came   into   the   lab   to   give   it   a   shot.
      </p>

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>6:57</time>
      <p>
          Molly,   you   followed   along   as   participants   drilled   holes,   mounted   parts,   and   connected   lines.   Why   don&#39;t   you   take   it   from   here   and   tell   all   of   us   more   about   that   experience?
      </p>

        <cite>Molly Rettig</cite>
      <time>7:13</time>
      <p>
          A   contractor   threads   a   bundle   of   refrigeration   and   electrical   lines   through   a   hole   in   the   wall   and   connects   them   to   their   counterparts   in   a   box   fan-sized   unit.   When   locked   into   place,   they   pull   a   lever.   That   was   the   sound   of   a   mini-split   air   source   heat   pump   being   installed.   Not   by   a   licensed   contractor,   which   is   who   would   typically   have   to   install   the   device,   but   by   a   homeowner   who   has   no   professional   HVAC   experience.   Robyn   Thomas   participated   in   the   program   because   she&#39;s   interested   in   installing   a   heat   pump   in   her   own   home   one   day.
      </p>

        <cite>Robyn Thomas</cite>
      <time>7:49</time>
      <p>
          I   don&#39;t   have   a   place   right   now   that   would   be   suitable   for   something   like   this.   Um,   but   you   know,   eventually   in   life,   I   think   it&#39;s   a   great,   really   efficient   way   to,   you   know,   cool   and   heat   a   home.
      </p>

        <cite>Molly Rettig</cite>
      <time>8:01</time>
      <p>
          While   Robin   is   pretty   handy   and   performs   regular   maintenance   on   her   car   and   cabin,   she   was   surprised   how   easy   the   install   was   with   the   eco-snap   connection.
      </p>

        <cite>Robyn Thomas</cite>
      <time>8:09</time>
      <p>
          I   think   just   all   those   connections,   like   I   wasn&#39;t   sure   how   precise   they   need   to   be,   but   they&#39;re   all   very   just   like,   yeah,   you   just   they   fit   together   and   then   there&#39;s   like   a   clamp   and   it   just   goes   in.   Like   I   wasn&#39;t   sure   how   uh   technical   that   part   would   be,   and   it   was   like   really   straightforward,   so   that   was   really   good   to   see.
      </p>

        <cite>Molly Rettig</cite>
      <time>8:29</time>
      <p>
          While   super   savvy   DIY-ers   like   Robin   may   be   able   to   install   this   on   their   own,   EcoSnap   can   also   be   an   option   for   a   broader   group   of   contractors.   Rich   Musick   has   been   installing   HVAC   equipment   into   homes   and  Fairbanks   for   20   years,   but   has   never   installed   a   heat   pump   before.   Recently   he&#39;s   been   getting   so   many   requests   to   install   mini   splits   that   he   decided   to   expand   his   business   to   focus   on   heat   pumps.   As   he   mounts   brackets   to   the   wall,   Musick   explains   where   this   demand   is   coming   from.
      </p>

        <cite>Rich Musick</cite>
      <time>8:58</time>
      <p>
          It&#39;s   mostly   air   conditioning   right   now. Especially when it gets smoky out in summertime.
      </p>

        <cite>Molly Rettig</cite>
      <time>9:09</time>
      <p>
          Though it was his first time, it didn’t take him long to mount the brackets to the walls, set the indoor and outdoor units in place, and snap the EcoSnap connector together.
      </p>

        <cite>Rich Musick</cite>
      <time>9:14</time>
      <p>
          If   it&#39;s   a   pre-charged   and   sealed   system   and   all   the   line   sets   are   are   filled,   that&#39;s   a   lot   of   times   the   hardest   part.   Is   you   have   to   pressure   test,   evacuate,   and   purge   the   line   sets,   but   if   they&#39;re   already   come   full   and   it&#39;s   just   a   quick   connection,   what   could   possibly   go   wrong?
      </p>

        <cite>Molly Rettig</cite>
      <time>9:36</time>
      <p>
          The   goal   of   EcoSnap   isn&#39;t   just   enabling   a   new   set   of   contractors   to   support   the   heat   pump   field.   It   also   makes   the   job   faster.   Instead   of   spending   hours   running   electrical   lines   and   making   refrigerant   connections,   a   contractor   only   has   to   mount   the   hardware   and   connect   one   line.   Here,   John   Winkler,   the   inventor   of   the   system,   describes   how   that   could   benefit   the   workforce.
      </p>

        <cite>Jon Winkler</cite>
      <time>9:57</time>
      <p>
          I   think   one   of   the   main   advantages   that   we   see   with   EcoSnap   enabled   heat   pumps   is   that   rather   than   taking   a   full   day   to   install   a   heat   pump,   a   contractor   could   do   two   or   three   of   our   EcoSnap   enabled   heat   pumps   per   day   because   we&#39;ve   taken   a   lot   of   the   steps   that   are   typically   done   in   the   field,   like   making   refrigerant   connections,   pulling   a   vacuum,   running   electrical   things   like   that.   Those   are   typically   done   in   the   field,   and   we&#39;ve   moved   those   steps   to   the   factory.   And   so   that   means   that   the   time   on   site   that   a   contractor   spends   installing   these   units   has   been   significantly   decreased.
      </p>

        <cite>Molly Rettig</cite>
      <time>10:28</time>
      <p>
          After   participants   finished   installing   heat   pumps,   they   spoke   to   researchers   about   which   steps   of   the   process   were   easy   and   which   could   use   improvement.
      </p>

        <cite>Robby</cite>
      <time>10:36</time>
      <p>
          How   difficult   was   aligning   the   eco   snap   components?   What   parts   of   the   aligning   process   gave   you   difficulties?
      </p>

        <cite>Robyn Thomas</cite>
      <time>10:43</time>
      <p>
          Well,   yeah,   we   had   just   getting   it   to   lie   flush   and   level.   I   think   having   multiple   people   for   that   is   important.   And   so   we   just   kind   of   worked   through   that   until   it   was   in   the   right   spot.   I   think   sometimes   in   the   instructions   here   it   would   just   say,   now   put   it   on,   or   I   couldn&#39;t   get   exactly   what   it   said,   but   it   could   maybe   say   something   like,   There   are   little   grooves   that   you   need   to   line   up,   or   you   know,   here&#39;s   what   you   should   be   looking   for.
      </p>

        <cite>Molly Rettig</cite>
      <time>11:12</time>
      <p>
          All   of   this   feedback   was   summarized   by   our   team   and   turned   into   a   list   of   design   recommendations.   So   when   a   private   company   licenses   this   technology   and   brings   EcoSnap   to   market,   more   Americans,   be   they   DIYers   or   contractors,   can   get   heat   pumps   into   the   homes   that   want   them.
      </p>

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>11:29</time>
      <p>
           What a great exercise up in Fairbanks to put research that started in the lab into the hands of the people.  
      </p>

        <cite>Kerrin Jeromin</cite>
      <time>11:43</time>
      <p>
          Yeah,   it   is   really   so   exciting   when   we   get   to   see   the   results   that   started   here   at   the   lab   directly   impact   communities.
      </p>

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>11:50</time>
      <p>
          Molly   joins   us   again   now.   Molly,   that   sounds   like   a   really   great   experience   you   gotta   be   a   part   of.   Tell   us   what   else   your   team   is   doing   at   the   Alaska   campus   when   it   comes   to   heat   pumps.
      </p>

        <cite>Molly Rettig</cite>
      <time>12:01</time>
      <p>
          We&#39;ve   been   doing   a   lot.   We&#39;ve   been   testing   heat   pumps   in   extreme   temperatures   to   figure   out   how   they   can   manage   defrost   cycle   without   creating   too   much   frost   on   the   coils.   We   actually   just   finished   evaluating   a   new   mini   split   that   can   operate   down   to   minus   31   degrees   Fahrenheit.   This   is   a   heat   pump   that&#39;s   slated   to   be   installed   in   800   homes   across   the   Arctic   to   help   lower   costs   and   keep   homeowners   warm.   And   we&#39;re   also   working   in   Southeast   Alaska   to   assist   local   groups   with   deploying   up   to   6,000   heat   pumps   in   a   place   that   gets   all   its   power   from   hydro.   Like   all   the   work   at   the   National   Laboratory   of   the   Rockies,   it&#39;s   not   just   about   advancing   the   technology   itself,   but   also   making   sure   it&#39;s   affordable   for   manufacturers,   ready   for   grid   conditions,   and   offers   an   effective   option   for   consumers.
      </p>

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>12:44</time>
      <p>
          Tons   of   growth   in   this   technology   and   interest   in   the   work   the   lab   is   doing.   Molly,   it&#39;s   been   a   pleasure   having   you   for   today&#39;s   episode.   I&#39;ve   loved   getting   this   deeper   dive   into   such   an   emerging   technology.   To   find   out   more,   visit   NLR.gov   and   search   for   the   Alaska   campus   or   email   Jon   Winkler,   W-I-N-K-L-E-R   at   NLR.gov   to   get   involved.
      </p>

        <cite>Kerrin Jeromin</cite>
      <time>13:09</time>
      <p>
          Thanks   to   our   special   guests   for   this   episode,   John   Winkler,   Robyn   Thomas,   and   Rich   Musick   for   their   insights.   And   of   course,   a   very   special   thanks   to   our   guest   host,   Molly   Rettig.   Molly,   it   was   great   having   you   on   the   show   today.  
      </p>

        <cite>Molly Rettig</cite>
      <time>13:20</time>
      <p>
          Thanks   so   much   for   having   me.
      </p>

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>13:21</time>
      <p>
          And   thank   you   all   for   listening.   If   you   like   what   you   hear   or   want   more,   please   rate   the   show   or   send   us   an   email   at   podcast   at   nlr.gov.
      </p>

        <cite>Kerrin Jeromin</cite>
      <time>13:29</time>
      <p>
          Until   next   time,   listeners.
      </p>

        <cite>Taylor Mankle</cite>
      <time>13:38</time>
      <p>
          This   episode   was   written   by   Molly   Rettig,   Kerrin   Jeromin,   and   myself,   Taylor   Mankle,   with   support   from   the   lab&#39;s   podcast   team.   Our   theme   music   is   written   and   performed   by   Chuck   Kurnick,   Jim   Riley,   and   Mark   Sanseverino   of   Drift   BC,   and   episode   music   by   Ted   Vaca.   This   podcast   is   produced   by   the   National   Laboratory   of   the   Rockies   Communications   Office.
      </p>