A heat pump water heater (HPWH) is the most efficient way to heat water and switching to a HPWH can make significant reductions to energy bills and emissions.
But it’s crucial to ensure consumers are getting quality systems that deliver these benefits in full. Regulatory intervention through strong quality and efficiency standards is key.
That’s why we supported a range of robust measures in our response to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’s (DCCEEW) E3 Heat Pump Water Heaters – Consultation Paper, including:
- Developing a Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) for HPWHs combined with mandatory information provision and a labelling scheme.
- That the MEPS are set high, to prevent the installation of low-quality systems.
- Embedding mandatory demand flexibility requirements into the standard for HPWHs, to maximise benefits for energy users and the electricity system.
- Leveraging existing international methods when developing the testing framework for HPWH performance.
- Thinking about performance in cooler climate zones, where people are most likely to see differences between the advertised and actual performance of their unit.
What’s next?
We want more people to experience the direct benefits of installing a HPWH, particularly those already facing disadvantage and struggling with energy affordability. We’ll continue to advocate for practical consumer protections and other government supports that will help promote electrification, reduce emissions and energy bills for consumers.
