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(continued from page 03) AGA surveys consistently indicate that consumers overwhelmingly
The report looked at the cost to consumers and the infrastructure prefer natural gas in their homes, Murphy said.
development needed for the electric grid to handle the incremental “On average, there’s a new natural gas customer connected every
load associated with converting all fossil fuel residential applications minute of the day, so overwhelmingly, consumers are choosing natural
to electricity. gas options within their homes,” he said. “Consumers want and are
The report estimated that electrifying the U.S. residential sector demanding natural gas, particularly when building new homes, and
would require the power generation system to nearly double by 2035 yet we’re seeing policies advance that would not allow new homes to
and would increase annual energy costs between $1,060 and $1,420 be built with natural gas in them.”
per household. Because much of the effort to advance electrification is happening
While electrification would increase energy costs for most households, through resolutions, ordinances and building codes at the local level,
Murphy said it also would have only minimal environmental impact. most consumers don’t know much about the electrification effort.
“Residential natural gas consumption accounts for 4% of overall green- “At the end of the day, it’s the consumer that’s going to bear the
house gas emissions in this country,” he said. “Yet the organizations ad- brunt of this, and the consumer is not well represented in these pro-
vancing electrification are very focused on the residential market even electrification debates,” Murphy said. “At some point, their heating
when the greenhouse gas emissions reduction potential is small.” system is going to need to be replaced, and they’re going to find that
an option they previously had for addressing their home comfort and
NaTuraL Gas soLuTioNs energy affordability needs is no longer available because their local
Two recent studies by the American Gas Foundation highlight ways politicians or the local code officials were influenced by organizations
emissions reductions can be achieved through natural gas solutions at that are pushing electrification as the only way to reduce greenhouse
a lower consumer cost than electrification. The studies indicate that gas emissions.”
natural gas can be an important part of a clean energy mix through He said that consumers concerned about the implications of electri-
a combination of expanded energy efficiency programs, advancing fication need to stay informed about local government efforts and at-
new, highly efficient natural gas appliances and renewable sources tend public forums and meetings to advocate for policies that maintain
of supply. their ability to choose the energy source that works best for them. n

residential natural gas consumption 2017 u.s. Carbon Dioxide Emissions, By source
plus a share of natural gas system
methane emissions is 4% other (Non-Fossil
Fuel Combustion)
7%
4% residential &
Commercial
10%

Transportation
34%
industry
15%

remaining GHG from all
other sectors equals 96%
Electricity
33%

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(2019). Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse
Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2017

04 naturalliving ❙ Fall - Winter 2020