A California Program Is Bringing Down the Cost of Heat Pumps by Buying Bulk
The approach is like a Costco for heat pumps, and it’s helping make installations more accessible as heat waves worsen.
A California program is driving down the cost of heat pumps by purchasing them in bulk, according to wire material. The program, launched in 2025 by Sudhakar, a former rocket propulsion engineer, offers a "group-buy" scheme that allows multiple households to purchase heat pumps at a discount. Sudhakar noticed the hot weather as an opportunity to advertise the venture online and received numerous queries.
Heat pumps, which provide carbon-free heating and cooling, often cost more than cooling-only air conditioners, which is why adoption hasn't been more widespread in the US. However, the group-buy approach offers a bulk discount that can defray part of the cost. Installing installers can line up a string of jobs, enabling whole neighborhoods to switch to heat pumps.
The program is available in Los Angeles and the Bay Area, with the first group of roughly 10 customers signing up in the initial group-buy scheme. The heat pump system cost around $14,500 and provides heating and cooling via ductwork already in place, with participants noticing a more comfortable and steady flow of temperature-controlled air.
Other group-buy programs are available in North America, with one of the oldest operational programs on Gabriola Island, British Columbia, where over 1,000 heat pumps have been installed. Sudhakar hopes to scale up these numbers in the coming years, emphasizing the importance of high-quality installations and good aftercare to ensure the success of the program.
Written by urgent.news from Wired Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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