Electric Thermal Storage

Yes. We can help you navigate the process of switching to ETS and direct you to local resources and contractors. We are no longer able to offer financial support for those switching to ETS. Email ets@yukonconservation.ca or join our mailing list for updates on any future developments.

To switch your home heating system to ETS, contact one of the following locally trained contractors :

• Nancy’s Electric

• Fireweed Home Comfort

• Midnight Sun Sheet Metal and Heating

• Mylner Electric

• HVAC North

If you want an ETS space heater (e.g. to provide supplemental heat for a chilly bathroom), you can purchase and self install a room based unit, such as an Ecombi or Steffes 2100 series.

Every household is unique, with lots of variables like size (square footage), year built (insulation) and temperature setpoints (personal comfort). Depending on your home and your heating needs, you may (or may not) need any of the following: an energy assessment, electrical service upgrades, and/or a contractor to come install the ETS system.

Two important questions you should consider:

1) Do you want ETS to be your main source of heating, or would it be there to supplement an existing heat source? For example, you may wish to use ETS to supplement your air source heat pump, or you may want an ETS heater to heat up one room or area of your house.

2) Do you want room-based or central furnace-style heating? This decision will likely be influenced by your current heating system. In our study, most people with baseboards chose room-based systems, and most people with forced air furnaces chose central furnace-style systems.

In our study, the average total cost of an ETS system, including all equipment, shipping fees, home upgrades, and installation, was about $12,000 for a room-based system and $27,500 for a furnace-style system. It is important to note that everyone in our study was using ETS as their primary heat source. Costs would be lower for those looking to use ETS as a supplemental heat source.

For many people, the cost of ETS can be prohibitively expensive. One aim of the project was to make contractors more familiar with the technology and therefore lower the costs of installations. We are working with government entities on securing upfront rebates to mitigate the financial barrier of installation. We are also working with the electrical utilities on ongoing incentives for individuals who are utilizing off-peak electricity to heat their homes.

If you have had an energy assessment, get in touch with us, and we can give you a rough idea of costs based on what we have learned from our project.

Using off-peak electricity helps to decrease carbon emissions, but because the utility does not yet have different rates for off-peak electricity, switching to ETS will likely not lower your electric bill. We are hopeful that in the coming years, the utility will implement discounted rates for overnight electricity usage, lowering the cost of off-peak electricity and thereby making ETS more economical.

The government does not currently provide ETS rebates, but we are advocating for upfront rebates and ongoing incentives. These conversations have been positive, and we will update this page with any new developments on that front.

To learn about the rebates, grants, and loans available for other energy retrofits, such as improved insulation and air source heat pumps, check out the Canada Greener Homes Grant and the Yukon Government’s Good Energy rebates.

ETS heaters convert electricity into heat, similar to how a toaster warms bread - both use electricity to heat up metal wires. Heat pumps do not convert electricity into heat. Instead they extract existing heat from outside air (yes there is some warmth in the air even on cold days!) and pump that warm air inside your home. Heat pumps are more energy efficient because they only need electricity to move existing heat around rather than to generate heat. However, they typically draw energy at peak times, meaning the electricity they use has a higher proportion of fossil fuels than off-peak electricity. ETS heaters draw their heat at off-peak hours, so they use more energy than heat pumps but that energy has a lower proportion of fossil fuels.

We think both of them working together is the most intriguing option. Through the ETS Demonstration Project, we had 7 homes that were heated with a combination of air source heat pumps and ETS. On average days, a heat pump can heat your home with low-electricity heat, and the ETS can serve as backup for particularly cold days when the utility is more likely to burn more fossil fuels at peak times. There are some ETS units that can be attached to a heat pump, which would combine the benefits of the heat pump’s efficiency with ETS’s off-peak energy storage.

In a word: storage. Both heaters convert electricity into heat, similar to how a toaster warms bread - they use electricity to heat up metal wires. A baseboard heater immediately releases that heat into your home because it has no way to store it. Therefore, baseboards contribute to the winter peak, which is when the utility burns a higher proportion of fossil fuels.

ETS heaters can store the heat they produce. They draw their electricity at off-peak hours, which takes advantage of renewable energy on the grid and lowers the demand for electricity at peak times. This helps the utility to rely less on fossil fuels.

So, even though the two types of heaters are both electric, ETS heaters have a lower carbon footprint.

Yes. Similar to space heaters, these units, such as the Ecombi and Steffes 2100 series, would be suitable for heating a small space or providing supplemental heat. They aren’t powerful enough to heat large rooms or heat your home on their own. You can purchase them and self install. If you want advice on whether these would be a good fit for your home and heating needs, feel free to email us at ets@yukonconservation.ca.

ETS heaters have the advantage over other heaters during power outages. Depending on what time the power went out, the ETS can provide heat to your home for a number hours after the power goes out.

It depends. If you’re looking to self-install a room-based unit as a space heater (e.g. to provide supplemental heat to a chilly bathroom), you are likely in the clear, though you may want to run the idea by your landlord first. The advantage there is that you could potentially bring the heater with you if/when you decide to move. For larger installations, the decision would be up to your landlord. Want help talking to your landlord about ETS? We can write a letter on your behalf advocating for ETS. Email us at ets@yukonconservation.ca.