Study reveals the benefits and challenges of running completely with electricity
It is estimated that by 2045 California could work completely with clean energy sources.
So far this is the most ambitious environmental policy in California, which joins a dozen states of the nation working in the same direction.
In 2018, Governor Jerry Brown signed bill SB 100, written by now ex-senator Kevin de León, which requires that by 2045 all California electricity be obtained from clean sources such as solar, wind or hydroelectric power.
A new report published Thursday by the Greenlining Institute, in association with Energy Efficiency for All, revealed that building electrification is considered, so far, the most economical and effective tool for California to acquire this goal.
Building electrification means eliminating the use of fossil fuels — such as gas, oil and coal — for functions such as heating and cooking and replacing gas appliances with alternatives that use electricity.
This change gives low-income communities access to important benefits, such as cleaner air, healthier homes, good jobs and empowered workers; In addition, it provides greater access to clean energy and affordable energy efficiency to reduce monthly energy bills, while helping the state meet its climate goals.
In California it is estimated that 25% of greenhouse gas emissions come from the buildings in which we live and work, the study revealed. Therefore, the electrification of buildings can play an important role in the fight against climate change.
Advocating by communities from low income
While the electrification of buildings has promising benefits for residents and for the state there is also a concern if it will be done equitably.
Carmelita Miller, co-author of the report and legal advisor to Greenlining, said it is no coincidence that low-income and primarily colored communities cannot begin to make the switch to renewable energy systems.
“We are worried that in California people can barely pay their daily expenses. The house is very expensive. They are not going to think, "How can I make my home healthier by switching to electrical means?" Miller said.
However, the author said that change is vital, especially for people's health and well-being.
Miller explained that while the most affluent people have begun to change – with electric and hybrid vehicles, for example – low-income communities are left with gas systems that are getting older and therefore causing more health problems as asthma
José Torres, supervisor of the Environmental Justice Alliance in California (JSCA), which focuses on advocating communities of color for a better environment, added that the gas contains chemicals that are not good for people's health and is One of many reasons why it should be eliminated.
"We are trying to see how we can remove the gas without affecting the pocket of low-income residents," Torres said.
Some of the methods include providing more resources in low-income communities, creating leadership groups among residents and ensuring that the resources reach their communities. Likewise, they ask that local labor be obtained by making the necessary changes to electrification.
"We must ensure that when there are changes there is investment in our neighborhoods such as better air, ventilation and employment systems," Torres said.
Miller added that he cannot ensure that the renewable energy change takes place in California completely by 2045, but what he can do is advocate for the change to continue expanding right now.
To read the full study visit: http://greenlining.org/
