There’s been extensive news coverage of state government attempts to require dense new housing construction in cities across California. However, less attention is given to efforts to compel Californians to transition from using natural gas to electricity for almost every type of domestic appliance or machine.
Similarly, there has been little acknowledgment of power blackouts lasting for a week or more during the previous winter’s numerous storms, which resulted in record-breaking snowpack in the Sierra Nevada and other mountain ranges in California.
Despite these events, there will likely be increased pressure to electrify more aspects of homes in the state in the near future. After the significant natural gas bills that Californians faced earlier this year, some homeowners may eagerly anticipate full electrification.
Over the past three years, cities and counties have been adopting a movement that involves installing electric appliances in most new housing throughout the state. Additionally, owners of existing homes will soon face pressure to electrify almost everything during significant additions or remodeling projects.
Some cities have even implemented ordinances requiring these conversions as part of all home sales after 2028 or 2030. However, there may be delays in enforcing this requirement due to a federal appeals court ruling that Berkeley cannot quickly enforce its new law mandating conversions.
These forthcoming policies stem from the belief among officials that using natural gas, like other fossil fuels, contributes to climate change. Supporters of this view argue that California must take the lead in mitigating these effects as much as possible.
Many local government staff members are also convinced that gas appliances emit toxic fumes like oxides of nitrogen, which are a significant component of smog. They recommend that gas stove users run ventilators while cooking.
As a result, various appliances, including water heaters (including tankless ones), stoves and stovetops, ovens, clothes dryers, and central heaters, could transition from gas-fired to electric within the next decade or so.
This transition is similar to the conversion to low-flow water devices in the 1970s, which involved switching to bathroom and kitchen faucets, washing machines, and shower heads that conserve water. Like those changes and the widespread switch from green lawns to drought-resistant plants, many cities and counties are likely to offer subsidies to encourage support for the transition.
This movement is currently most prevalent in Northern California, where cities like San Mateo and Piedmont require homeowners to install new outlets for electric appliances during kitchen and laundry room renovations. They also mandate high-capacity electric circuit panels whenever existing panels are altered or upgraded.
Some cities incentivize these changes when construction is already taking place, making the conversion more affordable compared to separate projects. Other cities have also started implementing regulations for heat pumps during heater replacements, but they have yet to require homeowners to abandon natural gas space heaters.
Although the complete transition may happen within the next 10 to 20 years, it will likely depend on the significant growth of the state’s electric grid, which is necessary to achieve the goal of ending sales of gasoline-powered cars by 2035.
However, the real challenge will arise if and when cities adopt and enforce almost complete electrification at the time of property sales. This could potentially reduce profits for home sellers by thousands of dollars in nearly every transaction.
Unquestionably, homeowners, who have used gas appliances for many decades without apparent harm while benefiting from the reliability they offer during frequent blackouts, will likely resist this requirement. Consequently, there may be local ballot measures seeking to maintain the current status quo, wherein homeowners and apartment landlords have the freedom to choose their preferred appliances.
Of course, just like in housing policy, state government plays a significant role. If the California Legislature passes new laws mandating mass electrification regardless of cost, some local governments may challenge these regulations in court, potentially supported by homeowners who resist change.
Ultimately, it will be up to the courts to determine whether charter cities, which are typically allowed to establish local laws that deviate from state rules, can exercise the same authority on this matter.
E-mail Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com, and read more of his columns online at californiafocus.net.