Why Go Electric?
What are the primary benefits of beneficial electrification?
Each project is different, but the benefits of electrification may include lower operating and maintenance costs, improved public health, reduced environmental impact, grid resiliency, and protection from the volatility of fossil fuel prices.
Can my small business afford to make a transition to beneficial electrification?
Incentives, tax credits, and finance options are available to any organization no matter the size of its employee base, building footprint, or number of vehicles. And the transition doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Even small changes such as adding one heat pump, converting to one electric vehicle or adding a charging station for your employees or customers can help make a difference in our community.
In addition to electrifying our buildings and fleets, what other sustainability measures should organizations and individuals prioritize?
Every business and household is different, so there’s no simple answer to this question, but as a general rule, it makes sense to focus on reducing waste and energy use. After all, the cheapest, cleanest form of energy is the energy you never use!
Why is this campaign focused on buildings and vehicles?
Buildings and vehicles are our region’s primary sources of harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
Will the increased demand for electricity lead to the construction of more power plants that burn fossil fuels, thereby undermining our region’s effort to reduce harmful emissions?
This is unlikely to happen, given that the price of producing electricity from renewable sources (solar and wind) is now cost competitive with fossil fuels and getting cheaper all the time. But since it isn’t impossible, individuals and organizations who want our region to successfully transition to clean energy should support the development of renewable energy projects and vigorously oppose new fossil fuel projects.
Can our grid handle the increased demand for electricity that switching to electric vehicles and heating systems would require?
The transition to all-electric buildings and vehicles won’t happen overnight. There is current capacity on the grid for an increase in demand, and as demand grows, our local utility companies will be working diligently to build a more robust and resilient grid. RG&E, one of our area’s largest energy suppliers, has invested significantly in its electric system in recent years and will continue to make investments in the future that contribute toward meeting the growing needs of beneficial electrification, such as electric vehicles and electric heating. Investments that enable growth will continue to be a focus of planned development.
If we rely on electricity to meet all our energy needs, won’t we be in big trouble when the power goes out?
This is a tricky question that deserves a nuanced answer. In the case of building heating systems, you’ll typically be without heat during a power outage regardless of what type of system you have, because both heat pumps and combustion furnaces require electricity to run. Similarly, both gas stations pumps and EV charging stations require electricity, so you’ll be able to drive until your EV runs out of charge or your combustion engine vehicle runs out of fuel, but after that, you’ll need to find a backup power source. Since climate change leads to an increase in extreme weather events that sometimes result in power outages, one of the best things we can do to reduce our vulnerability to power outages is to eliminate the use of fossil fuels that damage our climate. Utility companies have an important role to play in decreasing the frequency and severity of power outages through infrastructure investments that improve resiliency and reliability. RG&E, one of our region’s largest energy providers, has invested significantly in its electric system in recent years and will continue to make investments in the future that contribute toward meeting the growing needs of beneficial electrification, such as electric vehicles and electric heating. Investments that enable growth will continue to be a focus of their planned development.
Who is behind this campaign?
Check out our list of partners and funders.
