Upload time: Monday, August 23, 2021 at 8:41 AM Update: Tuesday, August 24, 2021 at 8:39 AM Reading time: about 3 minutes
A heat pump water heater driven by electricity draws in the warm air around it and uses it to heat a tank of water. Provided by Palo Alto Utilities.
Earlier this year, the Palo Alto City Council carefully studied the charts and strategies, and agreed to work in this direction in nine years and four months: almost every new car in Palo Alto is electric. Households use natural gas for heating, hot water or cooking.
The next morning, when I was walking my dog nearby, the first friend I saw asked about the meeting. I pointed to a nearby house and said that we would all have to stop using natural gas. She said she didn't want to, and I said we might need to close it in ten years. She replied that our source of electricity is not good.
Alison Cormac, member of Palo Alto City Council. Photo by Veronica Webb.
In fact, our electricity is carbon neutral and comes from hydroelectric power (water flowing through dams), solar power (mainly large projects in the Central Valley), methane capture (from landfills), and wind turbines (located elsewhere) . This means that you can use Palo Alto electricity with confidence because it is clean energy, and there is a complete team of staff and a public utility advisory committee that constantly researches the source, pricing, and availability of this energy.
A few blocks later, another friend took the initiative to show me her backyard renovation. In the middle of the lovely new terrace is the gas connection of the fire pit. I reluctantly asked her if she knew they were harmful to the environment, and she said no. She said she was glad that her high school students didn't know, because she would let her family take it away!
Natural gas sounds very positive and has been on the market for decades. But here are two important facts about natural gas. Most of us use it to heat our homes and water, many of us use it to make our food, and some of us use it to make sitting outside at night more Happy: 1) You release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when you burn, and 2) Leaks during natural gas extraction and distribution will produce methane. In terms of its ability to capture and retain heat, methane is 84 times worse than atmospheric carbon dioxide. .
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Some climate action advocates use intimidation tactics, some talk about the future in dramatic personal ways, and some delve into Celsius, metric tons, decay rates, and other measurements. Let us move from fear, drama, and technical details to the changes that all of us can make now. The term is clumsy-electric pump water heater, hard to imagine, magnetic induction, which makes me think there may be a physical test-but the effect is to take the gas out of your house.
Just as we prepare supplies to deal with earthquakes, we also need to prepare for water heater failure. They usually last about 10 years, and when they go out, everyone in the house wants to replace them 10 minutes ago. On Monday night, a public speaker who is very concerned about climate change shared that she replaced the water heater with a new gas water heater last year because she did not know how harmful natural gas is to the atmosphere and how to choose. She is not the only one who does not know that you might create problems for life on earth at home-you can start solving these problems today.
If you own your own house, please make sure that there is a 240V socket near the water heater you are currently using, and bookmark the heat pump water heater page of the city. If you rent a house, ask the landlord if they are willing to do so. If you live in an apartment, gather with your neighbors and ask the landlord what it takes to convert from natural gas to electricity and how you can help. If you live in an apartment, please attend your next homeowners association meeting and ask them when they can change communities and how you can help. Seriously, write it on a post-it note or put it on your phone’s to-do list!
Now, let us turn to the narrative "I love my gas stove, you will have to pry it away from my cold dead hands". I like cooking as much as the next person, maybe more. Another family and I hosted the annual Julia Child dinner, cooking for friends with babies and friends with cancer, basically cooking for others is regarded as the highest form of love. For 20 years, I have been using a glass electric stove, which is far inferior to the new induction stove using magnets.
Think of induction as the Tesla of your countertop-good-looking, good for the earth, and super fast. A friend of mine likes his gas stove very much. He recently lived in a home with induction and was impressed by its working effect. Some restaurant chefs are switching to electromagnetic induction because it is as effective as gas and can improve the air quality and safety in the kitchen.
If you need help getting gas out of your home, please start with a virtual visit to our Home Efficiency Genie. You can make an appointment online or by calling 650-713-3411. This month is free (usually US$49) and you will get expert advice about your home and needs. Now is the time for all of us to start making changes at home.
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Alison Cormack serves on the City Council and is a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Climate Action. This is her personal opinion. You can reach her through [email protection]
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Uploaded: Monday, August 23, 2021, 8:41 AM Update: Tuesday, August 24, 2021, 8:39 AM Earlier this year, Palo Alto City Council carefully studied the charts and strategies, and Agreed in nine years and four months: Almost every new car in Palo Alto is electric, and no family uses natural gas for heating, hot water or cooking. The next morning, when I was walking my dog nearby, the first friend I saw asked about the meeting. I pointed to a nearby house and said that we would all have to stop using natural gas. She said she didn't want to, and I said we might need to close it in ten years. She replied that our source of electricity is not good. In fact, our electricity is carbon neutral and comes from hydroelectric power (water flowing through dams), solar power (mainly large projects in the Central Valley), methane capture (from landfills), and wind turbines (located elsewhere) . This means that you can use Palo Alto electricity with confidence because it is clean energy, and there is a complete team of staff and a public utility advisory committee that constantly researches the source, pricing, and availability of this energy. A few blocks later, another friend took the initiative to show me her backyard renovation. In the middle of the lovely new terrace is the gas connection of the fire pit. I reluctantly asked her if she knew they were harmful to the environment, and she said no. She said she was glad that her high school students didn't know, because she would let her family take it away! Natural gas sounds very positive and has been on the market for decades. But here are two important facts about natural gas. Most of us use it to heat our homes and water, many of us use it to make our food, and some of us use it to make sitting outside at night more Happy: 1) You release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when you burn, and 2) Leaks during natural gas extraction and distribution will produce methane. In terms of its ability to capture and retain heat, methane is 84 times worse than atmospheric carbon dioxide. . Some climate action advocates use intimidation tactics, some talk about the future in dramatic personal ways, and some delve into Celsius, metric tons, decay rates, and other measurements. Let us move from fear, drama, and technical details to the changes that all of us can make now. The term is clumsy-electric pump water heater, hard to imagine, magnetic induction, which makes me think there may be a physical test-but the effect is to take the gas out of your house. Just as we prepare supplies to deal with earthquakes, we also need to prepare for water heater failure. They usually last about 10 years, and when they go out, everyone in the house wants to replace them 10 minutes ago. On Monday night, a public speaker who is very concerned about climate change shared that she replaced the water heater with a new gas water heater last year because she did not know how harmful natural gas is to the atmosphere and how to choose. She is not the only one who does not know that you might create problems for life on earth at home-you can start solving these problems today. If you own your own house, please make sure that there is a 240V socket near the water heater you are currently using, and bookmark the heat pump water heater page of the city. If you rent a house, ask the landlord if they are willing to do so. If you live in an apartment, gather with your neighbors and ask the landlord what it takes to convert from natural gas to electricity and how you can help. If you live in an apartment, please attend your next homeowners association meeting and ask them when they can change communities and how you can help. Seriously, write it on a post-it note or put it on your phone’s to-do list! Now, let us turn to the narrative "I love my gas stove, you will have to pry it away from my cold dead hands". I like cooking as much as the next person, maybe more. Another family and I hosted the annual Julia Child dinner, cooking for friends with babies and friends with cancer, basically cooking for others is regarded as the highest form of love. For 20 years, I have been using a glass electric stove, which is far inferior to the new induction stove using magnets. Think of induction as the Tesla of your countertop-good-looking, good for the earth, and super fast. A friend of mine likes his gas stove very much. He recently lived in a home with induction and was impressed by its working effect. Some restaurant chefs are switching to electromagnetic induction because it is as effective as gas and can improve the air quality and safety in the kitchen. If you need help getting gas out of your home, please start with a virtual visit to our Home Efficiency Genie. You can make an appointment online or by calling 650-713-3411. This month is free (usually US$49) and you will get expert advice about your home and needs. Now is the time for all of us to start making changes at home.
Earlier this year, the Palo Alto City Council carefully studied the charts and strategies, and agreed to work in this direction in nine years and four months: almost every new car in Palo Alto is electric. Households use natural gas for heating, hot water or cooking.
The next morning, when I was walking my dog nearby, the first friend I saw asked about the meeting. I pointed to a nearby house and said that we would all have to stop using natural gas. She said she didn't want to, and I said we might need to close it in ten years. She replied that our source of electricity is not good.
In fact, our electricity is carbon neutral and comes from hydroelectric power (water flowing through dams), solar power (mainly large projects in the Central Valley), methane capture (from landfills), and wind turbines (located elsewhere) . This means that you can use Palo Alto electricity with confidence because it is clean energy, and there is a complete team of staff and a public utility advisory committee that constantly researches the source, pricing, and availability of this energy.
A few blocks later, another friend took the initiative to show me her backyard renovation. In the middle of the lovely new terrace is the gas connection of the fire pit. I reluctantly asked her if she knew they were harmful to the environment, and she said no. She said she was glad that her high school students didn't know, because she would let her family take it away!
Natural gas sounds very positive and has been on the market for decades. But here are two important facts about natural gas. Most of us use it to heat our homes and water, many of us use it to make our food, and some of us use it to make sitting outside at night more Happy: 1) You release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when you burn, and 2) Leaks during natural gas extraction and distribution will produce methane. In terms of its ability to capture and retain heat, methane is 84 times worse than atmospheric carbon dioxide. .
Some climate action advocates use intimidation tactics, some talk about the future in dramatic personal ways, and some delve into Celsius, metric tons, decay rates, and other measurements. Let us move from fear, drama, and technical details to the changes that all of us can make now. The term is clumsy-electric pump water heater, hard to imagine, magnetic induction, which makes me think there may be a physical test-but the effect is to take the gas out of your house.
Just as we prepare supplies to deal with earthquakes, we also need to prepare for water heater failure. They usually last about 10 years, and when they go out, everyone in the house wants to replace them 10 minutes ago. On Monday night, a public speaker who is very concerned about climate change shared that she replaced the water heater with a new gas water heater last year because she did not know how harmful natural gas is to the atmosphere and how to choose. She is not the only one who does not know that you might create problems for life on earth at home-you can start solving these problems today.
If you own your own house, please make sure that there is a 240V socket near the water heater you are currently using, and bookmark the heat pump water heater page of the city. If you rent a house, ask the landlord if they are willing to do so. If you live in an apartment, gather with your neighbors and ask the landlord what it takes to convert from natural gas to electricity and how you can help. If you live in an apartment, please attend your next homeowners association meeting and ask them when they can change communities and how you can help. Seriously, write it on a post-it note or put it on your phone’s to-do list!
Now, let us turn to the narrative "I love my gas stove, you will have to pry it away from my cold dead hands". I like cooking as much as the next person, maybe more. Another family and I hosted the annual Julia Child dinner, cooking for friends with babies and friends with cancer, basically cooking for others is regarded as the highest form of love. For 20 years, I have been using a glass electric stove, which is far inferior to the new induction stove using magnets.
Think of induction as the Tesla of your countertop-good-looking, good for the earth, and super fast. A friend of mine likes his gas stove very much. He recently lived in a home with induction and was impressed by its working effect. Some restaurant chefs are switching to electromagnetic induction because it is as effective as gas and can improve the air quality and safety in the kitchen.
If you need help getting gas out of your home, please start with a virtual visit to our Home Efficiency Genie. You can make an appointment online or by calling 650-713-3411. This month is free (usually US$49) and you will get expert advice about your home and needs. Now is the time for all of us to start making changes at home.
Alison Cormack serves on the City Council and is a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Climate Action. This is her personal opinion. You can reach her through [email protection]
I will accept a statement that most of us in Palo Alto do not use natural gas to heat our houses, heat water and cook. For new houses, this statement may be correct, but anything older than 15 to 20 years is not accurate, and there are many houses that are older and have not been modernized. Most restaurants still use gas for cooking. Any chef will tell you why they prefer gasoline. There is a problem with our electricity supply. Even in calm weather, we often lose electricity when the wire is hit by a tree branch. We have a bird flying into the power line causing a power outage, and I won’t mention mylar balloons. Our TV screens show advertisements telling us to reduce electricity consumption between 4pm and 9pm. This is the time most of us come home and want to use electricity, not only for charging cars and other equipment, but also for homework and housework, including laundry and cooking. So far, there has been no cheap labor-hour incentive to run the dishwasher overnight. Maybe we should have a two-tier system, and when we get these new smart meters, electricity is cheaper between midnight and 6 am. I am not against encouraging electricity instead of natural gas, but so far we have not been overwhelmingly easy to do so. Until our electricity supply becomes more reliable, most ideas to ban natural gas are still premature.
I think there is more than one white privilege in this article. Palo Alto paid extra for owning "carbon neutral" electricity or our privileged share in Hetch Hetch Hydro. Palo Alto residents can afford to pay extra for heat pumps and induction cookers. Don't get me wrong, heat pump is a cool technology, after watching the induction cooker in operation, I am ready. After my gas stove died. But what happens if I replace the reliable 2012 Outback with Tesla? Another family that cannot afford a Tesla will buy an Outback and run it and its ICE engine for another 20 years. We are facing a global problem that requires global action on a global scale. The flaw of almost all these blogs, despite their big heart, is the assumption that consumers/individuals can solve problems driven by the big industry. We cannot solve plastic pollution through recycling. Big Plastic (nee Big Oil) must be forced to solve this problem.
I am very disappointed that AC did not conduct more research and thinking on this review article. First, it is worth getting scientific data from a reputable source like the EPA-the ratio of methane's global warming potential to carbon dioxide is about 35, not "84". Second, of course, we will not completely stop the use of fossil fuels in PA before 2030, unless the city government pays for the replacement of non-fossil fuel vehicles, furnaces, etc. Even prohibiting the purchase of (for example) gas water heaters will only lead to related public safety risks for people who buy them in Mountain View and install them in self-service or under-desk installations. Third, AC’s comments on the conversion of rental/multi-family houses made me suspect that she had never rented a house or a multi-unit resident. Based on my experience in power-friendly Seattle, when faced with the requirement or demand for the use of electric heating and hot water, the owner will not buy an efficient but expensive heat pump. Instead, they will install extremely cheap (usually cheaply manufactured) skirting boards and resistance heating in the walls, as well as inexpensive electric water heaters with moderate insulation. This will result in a substantial increase in electricity demand, and may require frequent start-up of fossil fuel "peak" power plants. I am very happy that AC has good neighbors and they warmly welcome her for a message walk.
@MondoMan: I think you know that methane is a relatively short-lived greenhouse gas. We worry about it more than 100 years in 10-20 years. This is why the use of 20-year methane (86 times stronger than CO2) has more meaningful global warming potential than the 100-year period (34 times stronger). @Bystander: "Any chef will tell you why they like gasoline." This is a very general statement, isn't it? Many chefs like induction cooking. The cookware heats up very quickly, but because there is little leakage of heat energy, the kitchen stays cool. There is also improved safety and ease of cleaning. And, yes, smart meter 1 can be priced correctly. @StarSpring: Stick to your trustworthy outback, but consider buying second-hand Chevrolet bolts. They are cost-effective, have a wide range, and will soon be upgraded with new batteries for free. If/when you unfortunately roll over your inland area, hope that your family can upgrade from a more polluting vehicle to it. So the world has become cleaner... I am not sure whether Big Oil can solve this problem, although we can try to withdraw $$. But automakers are doing their part. (Well, mainly. Ahem, Toyota.) Government policies (incentives, etc.) can help a lot. Let us see what can pass Congress. At the same time, as consumers, we can do our part to help promote the automotive industry, food industry, HVAC industry, etc., as long as we have the ability to produce clean appliances that we need to avoid the most serious global warming. Anyway, that is my 2c.
@Sherry By the way, thank you for your large number of posts on the split mini system not long ago-this has raised a lot of awareness (at least for me), and we are now considering such a system, looking forward to the next year or two. Regarding the relative warming ratio of methane/carbon dioxide, since carbon dioxide exists in the atmosphere for more than 100 years, and methane disappears after about 10 years, it limits our prospects to the next 20 years. IMHO, it is not scientific when it comes to emissions To minimize the relative warming potential of carbon dioxide. I suspect this is why the EPA uses a 100-year window to obtain a methane/carbon dioxide ratio of approximately 35.
I went through the same process and was angry at the lack of gas in any new structure. I discovered this when I allowed the new ADU to be used. Then I learned about energy-saving technologies, such as mini-split systems, heat pump dryers and heat pump water heaters. When it comes to cooking, I am a stubborn madman, but I bought an induction cooker when I remodeled the kitchen a few years ago. (I can't emphasize enough, the induction is much better than gasoline!) I quickly converted. What the author does not mention is the use of solar energy. As of 2020, every new house approved for construction must be net zero. My ADU will have solar panels and a battery to generate enough electricity to offset its use. Of course, it will cost more money now, but it will pay off over time. I hope I learned about these technologies sooner.
This news makes my 72-year-old Wedgwood stove very sad. I remodeled my kitchen around it 15 years ago. Since it is not a standard size, I had to remodel it again to replace it. It's very reliable, rarely needs service (3 times in 45 years), it's well-cooked, and it's a comfortable presence. Hope it and I are ready to retire in 10 years, which will bring some terrible fate and let me live in old age. Otherwise, there may be trouble. ..
I did not find any mention of the cost of using a heat pump in the article or comment. Our gas stove is dead, and we are considering installing a heat pump and were told that unless we install solar energy, it will almost double our winter energy bills. I think this is where white privilege comes in. With the permit, plus the installation of both, including an ugly power box (don’t remember what it’s called), about a yard of square was parked in the backyard next to our house, we are working on a long-term project costing tens of thousands of dollars . If we want to reduce natural gas, I said that Palo Alto needs to resume the implementation of the ban on gas-powered Lear blowers. Failure to do so seems to be hypocritical, and it will reduce the noise pollution that makes crazy.
Our 70-year-old simple house in Barron Park is equipped with gas heating, hot water, stove and dryer. (A nice part: the heat works when the power goes out.) Our electric service is only 70 amps. We are elderly people and need to sell our house at some point in the future, but we have no plans to do so at this time. I can see the enactment of an decree that all new houses are fully electric, but don’t punish us with huge expenses, because when our little house is scraped, these new services and appliances will be wasted. There is also the reality of neighborhood power and transformer capacity. We are at a dead end in the grid-multiple electric vehicles on top of an all-electric world may overburden the grid on this street and elsewhere. I believe that the power of a Class 2 car charger is about 6 kilowatts or even 7 kilowatts, or 30 amps at 240 volts. The local pole transformer is 25 kVa, which is equivalent to approximately 25 kW. I want to know who will pay for the upgrade of the city's power distribution system............ Guess it. The saddest thing is that Palo Alto's contribution to carbon reduction will be overwhelmed by a coal-fired power plant in China. Or forest fires. A lot of money has negligible impact = bad idea.
After 10 years? ? This city is crazy! ! What cigarettes do the members of the council smoke before the meeting...
@StarSpring.... Why don't you specify your "white privilege" reference? The term is really outdated, and people are tired of it.
Thank you Alison and Shirley. I want to comment on the issue of "privilege". Yes, compared with most of our human cousins, those of us who are in the middle class of first world countries are already pretty good. So, don’t we have a responsibility to do everything we can to prevent the weather from getting worse? The negative effects of global warming mainly fall on the poor.
@PA Mom: Your question about energy bills is very important. I am curious who told you that they will double, because this is not what I heard or saw in the numbers. You can find Palo Alto's gasoline rates here: Web link I will use the second tier price, but if you use very little gasoline, you can switch to the first tier. The cost of natural gas last winter was approximately $1.80/therm (level 2). You can find the electricity bill here: Web Link Tier 2 is a safe bet unless Palo Alto decides to greatly expand its Tier 1 (cheaper) pricing for electric heating people, as PG&E has done, which will make electric heating about 20 cheaper %. Therefore, the cost of Tier 2 electricity is approximately $0.19 per kWh. If on a cold day, you use 3 calories of gas for heating, and your extraordinary stove has an efficiency of 100%, then this will be converted into 88 kWh of electric heat. With heat pumps, most of the energy is extracted from the air. Suppose you pay 30 kWh and then get 2 times or 60 kWh from the air. (This ratio is conservative for using a high-quality heat pump in moderately cool weather here.) 3 therms natural gas will cost you $5.40 and 30 kWh of electricity will cost you $5.70. I'm not saying this is accurate, but it Probably. I just didn't see the heating price doubled. In addition, if I have to bet on future energy prices, natural gas will only become relatively more expensive compared to electricity. (Don't forget that you also have air conditioners. The cooling costs of these heat pumps are much cheaper than standard air conditioners.) Here is more information about installation costs etc.: Web Link YMMV, but this is what I found after talking to many people here. I am more worried about installation than energy costs.
My monthly income is slightly higher than $2,000. If you want to replace the gas water heater and gas stove, you can pay.
Sherry Listgarten, these are two HVAC companies. We got an estimate of a heat pump, telling us that without solar energy, our monthly energy bill would double.
@PA Mom: Strange. Maybe they mean that your electricity bill will double in winter (of course it may depend on usage), but forgot to say that your gas bill will be reduced by the same amount? This is my best guess. I hope New York City will make it easier for you to find and talk to people who have these devices installed in houses similar to yours. This will be the most effective way for you to learn about them. You will find that they are not so exotic. When you see enough of them, it becomes very boring.
According to the CPAU website, Palo Alto's natural gas is carbon neutral and has been so since 2017. Web Link CPAU charges us carbon offset fees to achieve this goal. But carbon offsets are now obsolete, and New York City no longer recognizes them as legal. In my opinion, this is bait and switch fraud. If New York City wants to force all of us to give up our gas appliances, then I want to provide a refund for the "defective" carbon offsets I was forced to buy. Hopefully, this will "offset" the cost of my forced switchover.
Speaking of refunds, I’m still waiting for the refunds I received from the 2 class actions against the city government and PA Utilities because of its historical practice to charge us about $20,000,000 more each year in order to remove these “surcharges” from We transferred to the General Fund. Anyone knows where the refund is, especially because CPAU proposes to raise interest rates by 3.5% this year and 5% in the next 2 years? Interestingly, in order to protest these interest rate hikes, 11,000 of us must complete a multi-step process.
@雪莉酒. I would like to know which high-end restaurants have switched from gas cooking to electromagnetic cooking.
@Bystander, maybe this helps? Network link FWIW I also feel that some restaurants have hybrid-sensing because they are faster/cooler/cleaner/etc, but still a small amount of gas because some dishes/techniques require it.
@PA 妈妈: I'm sorry, I realized that I made a mistake in the network link when I said "here's more information". I mean this link: web link
I did not see any mention of carbon tax in this discussion. This is the most effective way to internalize environmental costs. To formulate over-standard rules on a microscopic basis is equivalent to trying to boil the ocean. These rules will only be meaningful if they are adopted within the Bay Area. Palo Alto itself only accounts for less than 1% of the area's population.
@雪莉酒. Thanks for the link. I think this is very interesting. Of course, none of these are here, but it's still interesting.
Thank you for your article. Yes, the gas water heater was replaced in an expensive "emergency" last year, so you need to plan the next 240V socket in advance and add enough space. When I calculate the cost of solar panels, I always find that it doesn't make sense to us, because we prefer to use fans and insulating materials to save energy instead of using a lot of electricity to run air conditioners. Our cities and states need to simplify this-if you generate electricity, you should be paid, regardless of what you use. If you use natural gas, or natural gas to generate electricity (or only gasoline), you should pay a carbon tax.
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