In Phoenix, Arizona, air conditioning is a necessity to survive the scorching heat and prevent emergency room visits due to heat-related illnesses. However, the increasing demand for air conditioners is exacerbating climate change, both through the use of fossil fuel-intensive electricity and the release of greenhouse gas refrigerants. To combat this, innovators are focusing on developing new climate-control technology, such as heat pumps, which can reduce the climate impact of cooling by up to 80 percent compared to traditional air conditioning. Furthermore, improving heating efficiency and shifting away from natural gas furnaces can also have a significant impact on energy demand and climate change. Heat pumps, which eliminate the need for natural gas and can use cleaner sources of energy, offer a promising solution. Despite their advantages, the adoption of heat pumps has been slow due to institutional inertia, legal conservatism, and separate decision-makers for energy bills and appliance selection. However, with decreasing installation costs, economic incentives, and a growing awareness of the need for climate-friendly technology, this may change in the future.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/heat-pump-air-conditioning-alternative