A transformation is taking place in our homes and driveways. Across the country, people are swapping out gas appliances and vehicles for more efficient electric ones to breathe cleaner air, lower their energy bills, and make their homes more comfortable.
The transition, known as electrification, is also the most effective way that individuals can cut climate warming pollution, says Brian Stewart, the Co-Founder of Electrify Now. Electrify Now is a volunteer organization that promotes the benefits of electrification and a sister organization in the Electrify Oregon coalition. “There isn’t anything that we can do that is anywhere near as powerful as electrifying our homes,” he says.
Electrification is more accessible than ever — the technology is improving, it’s easier to find experts in the know to help you on your journey, and incentives are available to help lower the up front costs.
If you’re new to electrification, here’s where to start.
Currently, fossil fuels largely power our lives. We fill our cars and mow our lawns with gasoline. We use natural gas to heat our homes and water, cook our food, and dry our clothes. Burning fossil fuels is the primary source of air pollution and carbon emissions - and climate-warming gases are released at every step in the production process — from oil and gas fields, to pipelines, to our homes.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. By electrifying our homes and vehicles, we can improve our health, pocketbooks, and protect the places we love.
Electrification means reducing reliance on oil and gas by switching to electric sources of energy for everything that powers our daily lives.. “Going electric” can involve replacing your existing gas appliances and vehicles with electric options gradually, as they reach the end of their lives — or before that, if you are able. Perhaps your car breaks down for the hundredth time, and instead of shopping for another gas-powered car, you upgrade to a brand new or used EV to reduce your transportation costs. Or as your gas furnace reaches the end of its life, you take advantage of incentives to upgrade to an all-electric heat pump, which heats as well as cools.
In Oregon, “going electric” means switching to cleaner forms of energy. Nearly two-thirds of the state’s electricity comes from climate-friendly sources — 41 percent from hydropower, 15 percent from wind, and four percent from solar, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration — and it continues to get cleaner every year, Stewart says.
These numbers vary between regions and utilities — most of the smaller utilities, like Ashland Electric, get almost all their electricity from clean energy sources. Other utilities may source more energy from coal and natural gas. Everywhere in Oregon, however, electrification is a win for the climate. That’s because modern electric tools and appliances are “vastly” more efficient than their gas versions, Stewart says. An electric vehicle, for example, is two to three times more efficient than a gas-powered one, according to Yale University’s hub for climate information. Electric heat-pump space and water heaters beat out gas water heaters by similar margins. “So even in areas where the electric supply comes from coal or gas, going electric still creates more efficient homes that use less energy,” Stewart says. “In other words, we don’t have to wait for the electric supply to get cleaner for electrification to have a positive impact.”
Because electric vehicles and homes are so efficient, electrification can also help you save money. Replacing a gas water heater with an electric heat pump water heater alone could save hundreds of dollars each year. Meanwhile, switching all your home appliances, including HVAC system, dryer, and stove, to ultra-efficient electric models would save the average American household up to $2,585, according to electrification nonprofit Rewiring America.
Finally, going electric is just plain comfortable, Stewart says. Stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter with a heat pump. Boil water in minutes with an induction stove. Drive around town without stopping for gas once with an electric vehicle. “Most of us grew up with this idea that living sustainably, living responsibly, meant sacrificing,” Stewart says. “The bottom line is that going electric makes your home and life better. There’s an upfront cost associated with it, but that comes with huge value.”
You don’t have to electrify everything at once. Even a few targeted upgrades can cut your climate pollution—and save money over time, Stewart says. If you’re prioritizing, these are the most impactful places to start:
Wherever you start, you don’t have to take your electrification journey alone — Electrify Oregon’s free coaches will help you make a plan, find incentives, and navigate each step of the process.