120-volt heat pump water heaters (HPWH) are a new technology that can help rapidly decarbonize residential hot water use. Hot water is the second or third biggest energy load in most homes. Thus, electrifying as many water heaters as possible is critical for meeting U.S. decarbonization goals. 120-volt HPWHs are particularly beneficial in retrofit scenarios where the homeowner has a gas-fired water heater and wishes to convert it to a heat pump. Whereas 240-volt HPWHs require expensive electrical work like panel upgrades or new wiring, a 120-volt HPWH can plug into a standard outlet.
