Solar panels or a heat pump first?
If you heat with gas, oil or propane, buy the heat pump first. If your home is already all-electric, buy solar first. They are not competitors — a heat pump reduces the energy you need, solar changes where your electricity comes from. Order matters because a heat pump changes how many panels you need.
They do different jobs
| Heat pump | Solar panels | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Moves heat efficiently — heating and cooling | Generates electricity |
| Typical cost | $8,000–18,000 | $22,800 for 8 kW |
| Cuts | Gas/oil use; often raises electricity use | Electricity bought from the grid |
| Works when | Always | Daylight only, without a battery |
Why order matters
If both are on the horizon, decide that now and size the array for the future load — not today's bill.
Gas-heated home: heat pump first
Replacing gas heating with a heat pump typically cuts both energy cost and carbon more per dollar spent than solar does, because you are removing a fuel rather than re-sourcing electricity. It also gives you cooling, which matters more each year. Then size solar for the new, higher electrical load.
All-electric home: solar first
If you already heat with electric resistance or an existing heat pump, your bill is entirely electricity — exactly what solar offsets. Here solar is the more direct saving, and a heat pump upgrade can follow.
The combination is the strong version
A heat pump running on your own solar is the cheapest heat available to a typical home. The catch is seasonal: heating demand peaks in winter when solar output is lowest. How winter output actually behaves → Grid-tied systems handle this by banking summer surplus, which makes your net metering rules important again. What those rules do →
Sizing for both
Roughly, add 5,000 kWh a year to your usage for a heat pump in a moderate climate, more in a cold one. At typical sunlight that is about 8–11 extra panels. Work out your number → Then check whether your roof holds them → before committing to either.
What this looks like in real cities
Measured rooftop data, spanning the range from fastest to slowest payback we have found:
| City | Sun hrs/yr | Rate | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | 1,787 | 42.1¢ | 3.1 yrs |
| Denton, TX | 1,790 | 15.1¢ | 8.8 yrs |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 1,778 | 12.1¢ | 11 yrs |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 1,659 | 11.2¢ | 13 yrs |
| Gatineau, QC | 1,291 | 7.9¢ | 33.3 yrs |
Frequently asked
Can solar panels run a heat pump?
Yes, though the timing is awkward. Heat pumps draw most in winter, when solar output is lowest, so you will import more than you generate in the coldest months and export surplus in summer. The pairing works financially where exports are credited well, or a battery shifts usage.
Do heat pumps work in cold climates?
Yes. Modern cold-climate models keep working well below freezing, though efficiency falls as it gets colder and electricity use rises accordingly. That rising winter demand is exactly when solar produces least, which is why the two technologies pair better on paper than they do month by month.
Should I get both at the same time?
Often sensible. A heat pump raises your electricity usage substantially, and sizing the array for your post-heat-pump consumption avoids installing a system that turns out too small. Doing both together can also share electrical work and permitting, though it concentrates a lot of spending into one year.
Related guides
General information, updated 2026-08-22. Not financial, tax or engineering advice.