There’s a lot of talk right now about electrification, which is the process of replacing technologies that use fossil fuels with ones that use electricity. Americans generate 600 million tons of carbon dioxide each year as 70 million homes and businesses burn oil, propane, and gas for heating spaces.
There are two main types of electricity: static, which is generated by friction, and current electricity, which is generated by the flow of an electrical conductor or charge.
The process of electrification may seem like a tall order, and it is. However, it’s easier than you might think and well worth the effort. There are many benefits to consumers, three of which include lowering energy prices, reducing the environmental impact on the energy grid, and increasing the reliability of the grid.
That said, there are a lot of myths and misinformation regarding the process of electrification. Here are three of the biggest ones:
1. Electrification in California is too Expensive
The four key technologies of electrification are wind, electrolyzers, solar, and batteries. Going with wind and solar is already cheaper than all of the fossil fuel alternatives out there. Costs will keep decreasing as growth continues, too. In addition, building fossil fuel homes is more expensive than building all-electric homes.
When these energies were first deployed, costs were grossly overestimated because experts incorrectly assumed linear growth. However, these energies have grown at 25%-45% each year for the past 20 years at an exponential, not linear rate.
2. Financial Markets will Crash when We Leave Fossil Fuels
It’s true that there is a lot of money ingrained in fossil fuels. It’s estimated that 25% of equity markets are invested in fossil fuel producers. The good news is that we’ve likely already hit the fossil fuel peak for demand
Financial markets are already beginning to revise their risk models and no longer predicting ever-rising fossil fuel demand.
3. Intermittency is and will be a Big Problem
By design, the four technologies are complementary and together, will solve intermittency issues. Green hydrogen will enable short and long energy storage duration and batteries will offset periods of low renewable generation.
In addition, as the cost of the four technologies decreases, more technologies will be built, improving the reliability of the grid.
Electrification is a key part of reducing emissions and improving the climate change crisis. It creates healthier living environments, and it’s cheaper to build all-electric homes than to build fossil fuel-using homes.
Creating Healthy Living Environments
The air indoors, where people spend up to 90% of their time, is often more polluted than outdoor air. In addition, homes that have gas stoves in them have concentrations of nitrogen dioxide that are 50% to 400% higher than homes that contain electric stoves.
In addition, other pollutants in homes with gas appliances can cause adverse health effects. These pollutants include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde. Respiratory conditions like allergies and asthma are exacerbated in these homes. Children living in homes with gas appliances are 42% more likely to suffer from asthma symptoms than kids who live in homes with electric appliances.
Contact A-1 Guaranteed Heating & Air, Inc. for Green Energy Solar Energy Services
Improving the energy efficiency of your home by integrating solar power is a great way to decrease your carbon footprint. You’ll be in compliance with the recent legal changes phasing out fossil fuels. We can also perform an air quality audit of your home and provide solutions to improve the quality of the air within it.
Contact A-1 Guaranteed Heating & Air, Inc. today for a no-obligation quote for solar power installation in Solano. We also serve customers in Napa, Contra Costa, Vallejo, and all surrounding areas.
