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V O L . X X X N O. I V F E B R UA R Y 1 9 , 2 0 2 4 18 E N E R G Y / E N V I RO N M E N T I n 2008, Ryan Keith started learning about air-source heat pump systems, at a time when the energy- and cost-efficient heating, air conditioning and dehumid- ification technology was still little-known in Maine. Keith took classes and watched a step-by-step video to learn how to install a heat pump in his own home. "It knocked my oil bill down 50% to 60% in the first year," he recalls. "e cooling aspect was almost just as amazing." He installed heat pumps for other family mem- bers; the same results gave him confidence to start pitching to customers through his new company, Northeast Heat Pumps in Brunswick. "It was still new in Maine and people were ner- vous installing them," he says. ings soon changed. e first year, Keith installed units in two or three houses. Today he has 25 employees who install about 1,200 units per year — on average two units per home. Sixty percent are retrofits for customers looking to switch from fossil fuels. Installations can be done incrementally, with rebates and tax credits along the way. Keith is one of Maine's top heat pump installers based on the number of Efficiency Maine rebate eli- gible installations, including residential retrofit, new- construction and commercial projects. His company specializes in wall-mounted heat pump systems and has an in-house training facility for new hires. "Heat pumps sell themselves," says Keith. "I haven't had to advertise much. It's all literally word of mouth." Broad adoption Air-source heat pumps are gaining traction in Maine. In 2019, Gov. Janet Mills set a goal to install 100,000 units — in homes, businesses and public buildings — by 2025, along with enhanced rebates through Efficiency Maine and a low-income heat pump program at MaineHousing. e target was exceeded two years early with 104,000 installations. About half of the goal to install 15,000 heat pumps in low-income households by 2025 was reached by November 2023. e state's new target is 175,000 more heat pumps by 2027. If achieved, Maine would have over 320,000 heat pumps in total. Following the 2109 announcement, the Maine Community College System expanded its heat pump workforce programs with added training lab space, instructors, short-term training programs and heat pump training units in its degree and certifi- cate programs. e system has since trained hun- dreds of heat pump technicians. Efficiency Maine Trust data show the tech- nology has broad adoption in rural and northern Maine. As of 2021, heat pumps were more common than oil heat in new homes, according to a 2021 Maine New Construction Baseline Assessment. ey are the most popular heating system across all of Efficiency Maine's rebates. "You have to be impressed with what Maine's com- munity of heat pump installers have accomplished in our state," says Michael Stoddard, executive director of Efficiency Maine. "eir adept marketing and skilled installations make them the perfect partners for the P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Pumped up on heat pumps Maine leads the nation on installations B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r F O C U S Ryan Keith of Northeast Heat Pumps says the technology pretty much sells itself these days. S O U R C E : Efficiency Maine HEAT PUMPS REBATED PER YEAR 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 0 5K 10K 15K 20K 25K 30K 35K 8,818 11,420 12,758 27,326 28,571 32,335

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