SUWANEE, Ga. — Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US LLC (METUS) will introduce a new system integration for its all-climate heat pumps with SPAN.IO, INC. (SPAN), a maker of smart electrical panels.

The METUS-SPAN product integration, once available, is intended to help homeowners eliminate dependence on fossil-fuel-reliant heating and cooling systems and conventional electrical panels, according to a press release from METUS.

In a METUS-conducted survey in 2023 of approximately 1,000 U.S. homeowners, almost 83% of respondents stated that they were either “somewhat concerned,” “very concerned,” or “extremely concerned” about the impact of energy bills on their household budgets. Mitsubishi Electric’s all-electric heating and cooling systems are designed to reduce energy use compared to conventional HVAC systems.

According to a 2021 analysis by Pecan Street, a research and product-testing company, approximately 48 million single-family homes may need an electrical service panel upgrade before they can be fully electrified. Smart electrical panels offer an immediate solution to scale the electrical grid by optimizing existing infrastructure, supporting electrification, and contributing to greater sustainability.

“Installation of energy-efficient, all-climate heat pumps is accelerating the path to broader decarbonization,” said METUS CEO Mark Kuntz. “Converting from fossil fuels to heat pumps requires more electrical capacity than many older homes’ existing circuit breaker panels and electric service are capable of. We believe the SPAN Panel provides a way for homeowners across America to add our all-climate heat pumps using their existing electrical service.”

The METUS-SPAN integration, activated through the kumo cloud app, is designed to help HVAC contractors reduce installation time by reducing the need for additional coordination with utilities to replace the electrical service to a home. By using the SPAN panel, homeowners may avoid the cost and inconvenience of an electrical service upgrade. SPAN Panels are designed to allow a homeowner to make upgrades while using the home’s existing electrical service.

The SPAN Panel is designed to intelligently distribute power across the circuits where it is needed most. Because a Mitsubishi Electric heat pump operates at partial load, using inverter-compressor technology, the SPAN Panel will be able to send a command to it through the kumo cloud app to reduce the capacity to divert the power load to other appliances. Advanced variable-energy orchestration between the SPAN Panel and the Mitsubishi Electric heat pump will provide homeowners with greater overall flexibility of their home’s energy use, METUS said.

“This collaboration with METUS is exciting for us because we believe this integration will unlock a better option for the over 40 million U.S. homeowners who may face unexpected obstacles and hassle when they choose to upgrade their heating and cooling,” said Arch Rao, founder and CEO of SPAN.

METUS and SPAN products are eligible for a variety of local, state, and federal tax incentives and rebates for U.S. homeowners purchasing and installing those products in their homes. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) makes heat pumps and panels more affordable for many households by providing tax credits up to $2,000 for heat pumps and up to $600 for qualifying panel purchases. As part of an upcoming IRA rebate program, low- and middle-income households may be eligible for rebates of qualifying products up to $8,000 for heat pump HVAC, $4,000 for panels, and $2,500 for wiring for electrification upgrades.

METUS and SPAN anticipate launching the integration via an over-the-air software update in late 2023.