Don’t Rush the Switch to Electric – Get the Facts!
Recent legislation in Massachusetts and across the country would dramatically change the way families heat their homes, with the seemingly worthwhile goal of eliminating fossil fuels to attain net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
While we here at W.H. Riley & Son recognize the need to combat climate change, the rollout of shortsighted bills like these would force costly changes for you and your family, with little chance of achieving planned goals.
Consider these problems with all-out electrification:
- Recent bills aim to replace oil- and propane-fired boilers and furnaces with electric-powered heat pumps. However, almost 90 percent of the electricity generated in Massachusetts comes from burning natural gas, which is mostly methane – a gas that is more than 80 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.. That will leave little change in the carbon footprint for Massachusetts – in fact, it could actually expand it, especially when you consider that somewhere between eight and fifteen percent of the electricity produced by plants is lost en route to your home.
- The energy grid in MA is already prone to brownouts during hot summer days. How can we expect it to withstand energy demands during a bitterly cold New England winter?
- The efficiency of electric heat pumps drops dramatically in cold weather, and most units need a supplemental heat source to work in tandem with them once temperatures dip below freezing. This is a problem propane and oil-fired systems don’t have. With electric heat pumps pumping out lukewarm air, be prepared for cold nights!
- According to regional data, the average cost to install a heat pump could be more than $20,000 – about double the replacement cost of today’s oil- and propane-fired boilers and furnaces.
The Bottom Line
Sometimes the best change is the change you don’t make. Don’t rush to electrification – get the facts. Improvements in oil and propane equipment efficiency and oil and propane emissions profiles make both fuels prime candidates for a seat at the clean energy table. Don’t count them out!
For reliable delivery of today’s cleaner, greener propane and heating oil, trust the pros at W.H. Riley & Son. Contact us today to learn more about heating oil and propane deliveries in the southeastern Massachusetts!