A new tool from the IHP Alliance, a collaborative initiative between the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, and the Renewable Thermal Collaborative, will help facilities more easily procure this equipment to cut energy use, operational costs, and emissions.
The IHP Procurement Toolkit includes a request-for-quote template that eases the process for companies pursuing IHP technology. After answering questions about its technical, site, and budgetary needs, a facility can submit its responses to the provided list of suppliers, enabling competitive bids while reducing the need for extensive conversations with and potential site visits from numerous vendors. The template was developed in collaboration with IHP manufacturers and potential purchasers.
Commercially available IHPs could serve more than 30% of industrial process heat demand, with applications in sectors such as food and beverage production, pulp and paper processing, and consumer goods manufacturing. Until now, however, the use of IHPs in the United States has been constrained by low natural gas prices, limited domestic product availability, and a lack of communication between potential buyers and qualified suppliers.
The IHP Alliance is a collaborative initiative between the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, and the Renewable Thermal Collaborative to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable and energy-efficient industrial sector.
“In these early stages of decarbonizing industry, we’re looking for proven, efficient technologies that can deliver results today, “ said Richard Hart, Industry Director at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. “Industrial heat pumps fit the bill, and their operating costs are attractive when you look at all of the benefits. We are going to help more facilities transition at every step of the process. Companies can use this toolkit to get bids more easily and ultimately benefit from heat pump technology.”
Blaine Collison, executive director of the Renewable Thermal Collaborative, said: “RTC is working with global manufacturers across the industrial sector that are deeply interested in accelerating their deployments of IHPs as part of their decarbonization strategies. The IHP Procurement Toolkit will help make that process easier for industrials, leading to faster decarbonization. We’re really excited about this resource!”