**Title**: Energy in the North - Jessie Huff
**Date**: April 29, 2026
**Participants**: Amanda Byrd, Jessie Huff

00;00;00;16 - 00;00;15;18 [Jessie Huff] The program that we have right now with the EPA doesn't require people to remove their current heating source so they can put in a heat pump, but they can keep their Toyo and they can keep their wood stove, and it is giving them more diversification.

00;00;16;02 - 00;00;26;02 [Amanda Byrd] This week on energy and the North, I speak with Jesse Huff, the energy program manager for Southeast Conference, the federally designated economic development district for Southeast Alaska as well as the state designated Alaska Regional Development Organization. Jessie is working on helping Alaskans learn about and install heat pumps for their homes. And I began the conversation by asking why people are turning to heat pumps for heating and cooling.

00;00;42;02 - 00;00;45;17 [Jessie Huff] I could see why some people would not want to get a heat pump. It is going to raise their electric bill. You know it's an electric device. There are also benefits from it. So it's an efficient technology. So when you look at all the different types of energy sources and how we use them, it is an efficient way to use electric for both heating and cooling. That's one of the benefits of the heat pump. It can do both. It's basically like a refrigerator that can run either direction. I think in the southeast, people are looking at heat pumps in communities that have lower kilowatt per hour energy costs, not the really high ones. And looking at it as a baseload, instead of using maybe diesel oil all the time. The program that we have right now with the EPA doesn't require people to remove their current heating source so they can put in a heat pump, but they can keep their Toyos and they can keep their woodstove. And it is giving them more diversification. And at some point in time, it would allow them to have a baseload that you would never turn your heat pump on. And make your house 85 degrees. You would want your woodstove or your Toyo over that. It could do a baseload that would be even once it's on, and if you left it on all the time, you'd know how much that energy bill is going to be. It runs in an efficient, steady way in the colder climates of Alaska. I don't think anyone is anticipating using their heat pump in the winter. It's used on the shorter seasons. Heat pumps have limits. They're not good for everyone and that is why we are doing energy assessments for people before they even enter the program. If they enter our program. We're going to have an online application through the Alaska Housing Finance website JOLT is the first step after they enter in their information is they will get contacted by someone to get a preliminary energy assessment that will give them information so they can make a decision on if they want to move forward with a heat pump or not.

00;02;50;14 - 00;02;52;05 [Amanda Byrd] So how does the program work?

00;02;52;05 - 00;03;19;07 [Jessie Huff] Yeah, well, what the program is going to do is depending on the income level of the household that applies, there's three tiers of an incentive. Upper income can get $4,000 for the installation, middle can get 6000. And low income can get 8500 for the installation. And so that hopefully will be a huge benefit, particularly to low income. And the other thing we are working on for low income is that instead of the homeowner or the household needing to come up with the money to pay the contractor and then get their paperwork together and submit the reimbursement request, we are working to get contractors on contract with us. So that we can pay the contractor the $8,500 directly, and the household doesn't have to come up with that money to begin with.

00;03;45;20 - 00;04;05;08 And that is going to be a huge benefit. What I see different in this program from past heat pump programs is that no one has to remove their current system, and we have this potential to bring contractors on board to eliminate the household even having to come up with that upfront cost.

00;04;05;08 - 00;04;06;05 [Amanda Byrd] That's huge.

00;04;06;05 - 00;04;09;21 [Jessie Huff] It is. And we're hoping we get to open this program in September.

00;04;09;21 - 00;04;17;02 [Amanda Byrd] Jesse Huff is the energy program manager for Southeast Conference, and I'm Amanda Byrd, chief storyteller for the Alaska Center for Energy and Power. Find this story and more at uaf.edu/acep.