For quite a while, it was clearly better for the environment to burn natural gas directly for heat and cooking here than to burn it relatively inefficiently in a remote power plant, lose some of the electricity in transmission and distribution, and then use that for heat. Until 2023, Puget Sound Energy continued to advertise and sometimes to incentivize switching from electricity to gas. (The company agreed to stop as part of the settlement in its 2022 rate case.)
However, the grid is getting cleaner and renewable electricity is getting cheaper. Concerns about the warming effects of the methane released in the production and distribution of gas have increased. More efficient electric applications like induction cooktops and heat pumps for space and water heating will keep getting better and cheaper as more of them are produced.
The argument for shifting residential uses of gas to electricity to help make the emissions reductions we need keeps getting stronger. Some analysts argue that we should start avoiding new investments in gas infrastructure which may become stranded assets. (The Rocky Mountain Institute’s recent study, The Economics of Electrifying Buildings, analyzes the economics and carbon impacts of electrifying residential space and water heating in four US cities; it’s now been expanded to seven cities, including Seattle.) The Building Electrification Initiative brings together eight cities working on this transition, and the Building Decarbonization Coalition has a webpage featuring resources for building decarbonization. The ACEEE’s recent report, “Programs to Electrify Space Heating in Homes and Buildings”, surveys all the current activity in this country. Denver has developed a comprehensive Net Zero Energy New Buildings and Homes Implementation Plan which includes data about costs and a lot of discussion on the details of conversions based on a lot of meetings with stakeholders, which are displayed when you click on the subheading for the Plan on this page.
The 2018 Washington State Energy Code, which went into effect in February 2021, includes a number of provisions incentivizing heat pump space and water heating, as well as efficient appliances, and penalizing gas space and water heating.
B6.1 Natural gas to electric conversions *
Educate business owners and residents in existing buildings on the options for electric appliances, particularly furnaces and water heaters, and the benefit of pairing electrification with the installation of renewable energy. Create incentives to support fuel switching.
B6.2 Electric appliances in new construction *
Update municipal code to require electric appliances in new construction.
B6.3 Heat pumps
Use heat pumps for heating and cooling space and water.
B6.4 Natural gas transition *
Phase out new natural gas connections in new buildings over time.
B6.5 Natural gas fee
Create a utility fee for natural gas use.
B6.6 Demand Pricing (See B5.14 – Time of Use Pricing)
Adjust fee scale to charge higher rates during high use times of day.
B6.7 Utility Advocacy
Add as a high priority to municipality’s legislative agenda – State and Utilities and Transportation Commission in implementing SB 5116, which requires a shift to clean electricity.
B6.8 Clean energy
Local government adopt and communicate policy statements and positions with the State elected officials that call for rapid conversion to clean energy in the power supply that serves Thurston County.
B6. _ Community Electrification Projects
Neighborhood and community organizations supporting electrification