Why and how are people choosing to electrify their homes?
An increasingly popular trend is to replace dirty appliances (in other words, those that consume gas or other carbon-based fuel sources) with clean energy appliances (typically those powered by electricity that is in turn generated by solar or wind power). The main motivation for doing so is to reduce a household's carbon footprint and help address global warming. Government incentives, economies of scale and technological innovation have also made it possible for consumers to save money by changing to electric appliances. The most common household appliances that have traditionally been powered by gas are the furnace, water heater, stove, air conditioning unit, and dryer. Replacements for these appliances include heat pumps that can replace both the furnace and air conditioner, electric water heaters and dryers, and induction stoves. To power these electric appliances in environmentally friendly ways, consumers are either generating the electricity on their property by installing rooftop solar panels or they are selecting green energy sources when they pick their plan from their local utility provider.