Time to Electrify Now!
Our global carbon debt is reaching a critical point where irreversible climate-related disasters will increase in frequency and intensity. American Homes represent 20% of our national carbon emissions. With a few updates to our appliances, we can reduce emissions, live more comfortably and save money!
1. Understanding your Homes Energy Sources
What are the critical pieces of information about your home that will help you address your home’s carbon emissions? You can start with your electricity bill and calculate your monthly kilowatt-hours (kWh) usage. If your home uses gas, you can get this value from your monthly bill in British Thermal Units or BTUs. Your electric utility will provide electricity and gas. Sometimes it’s a different utility provider. Although electricity is still generated from fossil fuels, it is created at the cheapest rate through renewables like solar and wind. Make sure to support local legislation that supports the cheapest and health-conscious source of electricity generation.
Health and Energy, kWh vs. BTUs
These two units of energy will change as you electrify your home appliances. The more you electrify, the fewer BTUs you’ll consume and the more electricity you’ll start using. Most importantly, you will want to reduce the amount of natural gas you burn at home to reduce emissions and carbon pollution, whether in the kitchen from a gas stove or the garage through your furnace. There are adverse air quality issues from burning gas in the house to young children. Learn more through the button below.
2. DIY Home Energy Audit with Zwell
Get your journey towards a net-zero emissions household today with Zwells free Home Energy Audit! Discover what steps you need to take to reduce your carbon footprint and live more comfortably. Every project completed through their audit contributes to Zwell Community Fund, which provides home energy upgrades for needy families! An electrifying mission that helps improve the lives of homes that need it most!
3. Discover Programs and Incentives
Get Energy Smart with Spark Northwest
The cost of updating your appliances is a significant factor in transitioning to an all-electric home. Fortunately, organizations like Spark Northwest have Energize campaigns in King County’s Eastside cities and Olympia to help you get your heat pump on! Start learning by watching recorded webinars or attending the handful yet to be had.
Rewiring America
An organization dedicated to electrifying the US, you’ll find heaps of information and updates on the rollout of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 benefits. These are all meant to help you electrify your home and save money. Use their calculator to see what rebates and tax credits are available. Best of all, the benefits are uncapped, meaning we can all reap the benefits of saving upfront as we transition to all-electric homes without worrying about not getting there first.
Renewable Energy Incentives
Increasing energy efficiency and utilizing electricity as the primary source of your home’s energy saves our utilities money. It is more costly to purchase more fossil fuels like natural gas to heat your home than to generate electricity for heating. This is because generating electricity with solar and wind energy requires no fuel purchasing! External benefits are cleaner air, reduced emissions, and supporting the growing renewable energy industry. Check out the incentives for renewable energy technologies we offer and help yourself and your electricity utility!
Go Solar and Battery Backup with the ITC
The solar Investment Tax credit was available to homeowners for three years before being extended and boosted to 30% until 2032. The most common and widely-known incentives for going solar now can include stand-alone battery backup systems on the tax credit. Previously you needed to install solar at the same time. Plus, if you upgrade your electrical panel when you go solar, you can also take the tax credit on that, so get SPAN to complete your home renewable energy upgrades! Want to talk to a professional about these incentives? Please fill out a form or give us a call by clicking below.
4. Prioritize Savings, Emissions Reduction, and Comfort
Electrifying your home’s appliances and switching to renewables provides many benefits. We all wish we could make the switch now, but it is essential to prioritize the process with what makes the most sense financially, such as replacing your 20-year-old gas furnace with a heat pump instead of replacing your 1-year-old fridge with a slightly more efficient one. Each step toward electrification will bring in more comfortable living and energy efficiency, which you can see in annual savings. What’s important is to identify what your home and you need to live a better life today, which will help build the more sustainable future we all want!
Electrification eBook
If you want a downloadable pdf to consolidate all the information about electrification, incentives, and the workforce we need to implement it, look no further! We compiled our 6-part blog series into a downloadable eBook for you to have and share.
