WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, D-OH, chair of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, welcomed a historic investment – through the Department of Energy – to boost electric heat pump manufacturing at the Copeland plant in Sidney. Investing in this technology will help make homes, schools, and other buildings more energy efficient, lowering energy costs for Ohio families and businesses. It also will strengthen supply chains by investing in Ohio-made products and support jobs in Sidney. The investment going to Copeland totals $11,488,975.
“We are in the midst of a renewable energy boom that will create jobs and economic development opportunities for communities across Ohio,” said Brown. “This investment in heat pump manufacturing will support local jobs in Sidney, and help lower energy bills for Ohioans. The technology of the future will be developed in Ohio and made in Ohio.”
“Copeland is actively working to deliver the next-level of high-efficiency 1.5-to-40-ton heat pump compressors and hydronic system technology to enable the replacement of fuel-fired and electric resistance furnaces with electric heat pumps in support of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) goals to provide equitable and affordable solutions to building decarbonization. The objective of the project is to accelerate new investments to expand production of residential, commercial, and industrial heat pump compressors and systems in the United States,” said John Schneider, president, HVACR Technologies for Copeland.
“The Department of Energy award will provide investment for four of our U.S. manufacturing locations and suppliers across several states: Ava, Missouri; Lebanon, Missouri; Cudahy, Wisconsin; and Sidney, Ohio,” said Schneider.
“In our Sidney, Ohio, facility, a new manufacturing line will support the expected growth in demand for hydronic heat pump technology designed for the U.S. market. These heat pumps utilize naturally available heat from air, ground and water to reduce energy consumption by up to 75%, utilizing low and ultra-low-GWP refrigerant to further reduce emissions. The new line will require additional investment in the Sidney manufacturing facility, implementing start-of-the-art technologies to support energy savings, automation, ergonomic and safety improvement, and sustainability,” said Schneider
“We are currently in communications with the Department of Energy on requirements to receive the funding and confirmation of the final award amount,” Schneider concluded.
Electric heat pumps efficiently provide comfortable temperatures for heating and cooling homes and businesses in all climates, especially when homes are well insulated, and can also provide more efficient water heating. On average, homeowners can save more than $500 per year depending on how energy efficient their home is, the size of their home, and the local climate.
The funding, which will be administered by DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains, was made possible by a provision that Brown authored in the Inflation Reduction Act to utilize the Defense Production Act to accelerate domestic heat pump production.
