A second comment asks that we not adopt an all-electric ordinance for new construction.
It is vitally important, actually, that we DO adopt such an ordinance.
First, the good thing about a new construction ordinance is that it will not affect anybody or any buildings already in the Town; it will only affect NEW construction - buildings that are not yet here.
Second, an all-electric building is less expensive to build and to operate than a mixed-fuel building that also uses methane.
Third, the State and, now, the Federal governments are moving rapidly in the direction of electrification of buildings. We want to help our residents to invest in buildings that will stand the test of time, and people who invest in additional natural gas infrastructure will find it sooner or later obsolete; by preparing now, we can save them money in the long run too.
When we talk about all-electric buildings, people all worry about electric heat, stoves, and PSPS events.
Electric heat got a bad name from old electric resistance heating systems. New heat pumps work fine in this climate, and are less expensive to buy and operate than conventional systems.
Induction stoves are vastly preferred by everyone who uses them, including the world's chefs. They are a vast improvement over the older electric stoves that we all came to despise.
And, the state and utilities are investing tremendous money into grid reliability. The state is well aware of the impact of PSPS events, and they are pouring money into storage and other strategies to help us improve the reliability of the grid.
Nobody is hurt, and everyone wins from requiring all new construction to be all-electric. This is one thing we should all be able to get behind.
It is vitally important, actually, that we DO adopt such an ordinance.
First, the good thing about a new construction ordinance is that it will not affect anybody or any buildings already in the Town; it will only affect NEW construction - buildings that are not yet here.
Second, an all-electric building is less expensive to build and to operate than a mixed-fuel building that also uses methane.
Third, the State and, now, the Federal governments are moving rapidly in the direction of electrification of buildings. We want to help our residents to invest in buildings that will stand the test of time, and people who invest in additional natural gas infrastructure will find it sooner or later obsolete; by preparing now, we can save them money in the long run too.
When we talk about all-electric buildings, people all worry about electric heat, stoves, and PSPS events.
Electric heat got a bad name from old electric resistance heating systems. New heat pumps work fine in this climate, and are less expensive to buy and operate than conventional systems.
Induction stoves are vastly preferred by everyone who uses them, including the world's chefs. They are a vast improvement over the older electric stoves that we all came to despise.
And, the state and utilities are investing tremendous money into grid reliability. The state is well aware of the impact of PSPS events, and they are pouring money into storage and other strategies to help us improve the reliability of the grid.
Nobody is hurt, and everyone wins from requiring all new construction to be all-electric. This is one thing we should all be able to get behind.
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