Heat pump or natural gas heater?

[alben]

My natural gas pool heater is 30 years old. I am surprised it has lasted this long, but it would not surprise me if it would spring a leak one day. So I am saving up my $ for a replacment heater.

Location: Central Minnesota.
Electric rate = $0.08720 per KWH
Gas rate = $0.00908 per cu ft.

Solar cover is not an option since I use tight woven heavy duty safety cover (kids/pets/wild animals).
Solar panels not an option due to space.

Pool info in my signature. Anyone have recommendations of a heat pump or a natural gas heater in my situation? Cost to run one versus the other for the same BTU output?

 

[deanrinehart]

How do you use your heater now?

Heat pumps tend to sell more in the southern parts of the US where temps are more even and owners maintain temps rather than heating for a weekend party then letting the pool cool over the week. Running a heat pump to bring a 65 degree pool to 80 would take a very, very long time...and I have to assume Minnesota nights without a solar cover would pull lots of heat from your pool and require lots of run time.

I have seen success with a heater and a heat pump...the gas heater gets the water to temp and then the heat pump maintains it.