By Elayna Trucker, Conservation Committee Co-Chair
On Saturday, June 27th, Electrify PDX will host a Home Electrification Fair at The Redd. Will we see you there? This is a fabulous opportunity to learn about how to electrify your home and connect with local organizations and contractors who can help you do that.
Electrification is necessary: fossil fuels are the main driver of climate change which is fueling (pun intended) drought and wildfires, heavier rains and flooding, and poor human health due to air, water, and soil pollution. Every step that moves us away from fossil fuels as our main energy source is a step in the right direction. Here are some of the possibilities you’ll learn about at the Fair:
Heat pumps are far more efficient for heating and cooling than furnaces and boilers, which mostly run on “natural” gas. As fossil fuel energy sources get harder to acquire, they’ll get more expensive and so will your gas heating, but heat pumps insulate you (pun, again, intended) from price shocks like the one we’re currently dealing with because of the Trump administration’s war on Iran. There are both federal and state incentives for converting to a heat pump.
Rooftop solar can lower your home’s energy bills while improving resilience to power outages, if combined with a battery system. Perhaps you’re interested in an electric vehicle? You can charge your EV with your home’s solar power and, soon, your EV can send energy back to your home for a closed-loop system that requires no input from the grid.
Induction stoves are incredible kitchen tools that use electricity at 90% efficiency rather than the 74% of traditional electric stoves and 40% for gas stoves. I once watched an induction stove boil water in about 10 seconds flat. Better indoor air quality is an important co-benefit of switching from gas to electric or induction cooking. And again, you’re protected from spikes in gas prices, which are likely to become more frequent as the true price of gas usage catches up with us. Not ready to make a big appliance switch? I bought my friends a $75 single burner induction hot plate as a thank you gift and they love it!
Did you know that using a gas-powered leaf blower is way worse in terms of emissions than driving most cars? That leaf blower emits magnitudes more non-methane hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide, and carbon monoxide than an average conventional pickup truck. Switching to electric, rechargeable landscaping equipment can significantly decrease emissions and air pollutants.
Learn about these options and more at the Home Electrification Fair on June 27th, and be sure to stop by the Sierra Club table to say hi to Maleek, the Chapter’s Energy Justice Organizer, and me!