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The Recent reportsThe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has shown that nations must act quickly in order to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to avoid huge losses and damage. The good news is that experts believe it’s possible to Reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030Using energy more efficiently, slowing down deforestation, and increasing the adoption of renewable energy are some of the steps you can take.
Many of those strategies require new laws, regulations or funding to move forward at the speed and scale that’s needed. But one strategy that’s increasingly feasible for many consumers is powering their homes and devices with electricity from clean sources. These four articles are from our archives and explain why electrifying homes can be a good climate strategy. They also provide information on how consumers can get started.
1. Why go electric?
In 2020, home energy consumption was accounted for About one-sixth the total U.S. energy use is renewable. Nearly half (47%) of this energy came primarily from electricity. Natural gas (42%), natural gas (8%) and oil (8%%) followed by renewable energy (7%). The largest home energy consumption is for Heating and air conditioningThen, lighting, refrigerators, or other appliances.
Substituting electricity generated from low-carbon and zero-carbon resources for oil and natural gas is the best way reduce greenhouse gas emissions from home power consumption. And the power sector is quickly moving in this direction: According to a report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, power producers have witnessed a rapid increase in their power production. Their carbon emissions were reduced by 50%From what energy experts predicted for 2005.
“This drop happened thanks to policy, market and technology drivers,” a team of Lawrence Berkeley lab analysts concluded. Utilities are now using more wind and solar power because they have been able to increase their production and reduce their costs. Cheap natural gas has replaced dirty coal generation. Public policies have encouraged the use energy-efficient technologies such as LED light bulbs. These converging trends make electric energy a more climate-friendly option.
The U.S. uses a lot more low-carbon, and carbon-free electricity than was anticipated in 2005. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, CC BY-ND
2. Heat pumps for hot and cold days
Since heating and cooling use so much energy, switching from an oil- or gas-powered furnace to a heat pump can greatly reduce a home’s carbon footprint. As University of Dayton sustainability expert Robert BrechaHeat pumps are heat pumps that move heat from buildings to other buildings. They do not burn fossil fuel.
“Extremely cold fluid circulates through coils of tubing in the heat pump’s outdoor unit,” Brecha writes. “That fluid absorbs energy in the form of heat from the surrounding air, which is warmer than the fluid. The fluid evaporates and is then circulated to a compressor. Any gas can be compressed Heat it upThis process produces heat. Then the vapor moves through coils of tubing in the indoor unit of the heat pump, heating the building.”
In summer, the reverse happens: Heat pumps extract heat from indoors and move it outside, just like a refrigerator heats up food in a storage chamber and then expels it into the atmosphere.
A geothermal heating pump is another option. This heat pump collects heat from the ground and uses the same process to move it into buildings as air source heat pumps. These systems are more expensive because they require excavation to bury the tubing below the ground. However, they also reduce electricity consumption.
3. Cooking without gas – or heat
The biggest obstacle to going electric for people who enjoy cooking is the possibility of using an electrical stove. Many home chefs prefer gas flames to electric burners because they are more responsive and precise.
Magnetic induction cooks food by creating a magnetic field underneath the pot. This eliminates the need for a burner.
“Instead of conventional burners, the cooking spots on induction cooktops are called hobs, and consist of wire coils embedded in the cooktop’s surface,” writes Binghamton University electrical engineering professor Kenneth McLeod.
It is time to give up the gas. https://t.co/nGfdhwpVv5
— NYT Cooking and Food (@nytfood) March 11, 2022
An electric charge is created by moving through the wires. This creates a magnetic field that in turn creates an electrical field in the bottom. “Because of resistance, the pan will heat up, even though the hob does not,” McLeod explains.
Induction cooktops heat and cool quickly and can be controlled to a precise temperature. They also are easy to clean, since they are made of glass, and safer than electric stoves since the hobs don’t stay hot when pans are lifted off them. Many utilities offer rebates to offset the higher cost of induction stovetops.
4. Electric cars as backup power sources
Residents are now more vulnerable to power outages because of electrifying systems such as home heating and cooking. Soon, however, an alternative system will be available: your electric vehicle could power your home.
Electric cars and light truck interest The U.S. is experiencing a rise in immigrationAutomakers are introducing new EV models and designs. Some of these new vehicles will offer Bidirectional charging – the ability to charge a car battery at home, then move that power back into the house, and eventually, into the grid.
This capability is available on a limited number of models. It also requires special equipment, which can increase the cost of an EV by several thousand dollars. However, Penn State’s energy expert is optimistic. Seth BlumsackSees This emerging technology has great potential for value.
“Enabling homeowners to use their vehicles as backup when the power goes down would reduce the social impacts of large-scale blackouts. It also would give utilities more time to restore service – especially when there is substantial damage to power poles and wires,” Blumsack explains. “Bidirectional charging is also an integral part of a broader vision for a next-generation electric grid in which millions of EVs are constantly taking power from the grid and giving it back – a key element of an electrified future.”
Editor’s note: This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation’s archives.
This article has been republished from The ConversationUnder Creative Commons license Please read the Original article.
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