As California transitions to all-electric appliances, which is the most cost-effective way to reduce pollution from our buildings, state leaders face a pivotal choice: Keep pouring billions into new gas infrastructure that is likely to be underutilized or realign our spending with the clean energy transition. New analysis from Energy + Environmental Economics (E3) shows just how enormous the financial stakes are.
The study finds that targeted electrification, which equips homes served by aging gas pipelines with energy-efficient electric appliances, can save utility customers between $15-26 billion in gas infrastructure costs by 2045 by bypassing costly gas pipeline replacements. But California is running out of time to take advantage of these savings. The Legislature needs to act this year by strengthening and passing Senator Min’s Senate Bill (SB) 1221, and the…
