electrification Archives | Citizens Utility Board

Illinois Future of Gas: Perspectives Part I & II – February 26th & 27th workshops

Elizabeth — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 15:47:36 +0000

By: Scott Allen Phase 2(a) of the Future of Gas proceeding has come to an end. That’s after back-to-back workshops (Feb. 26-27) where participants shared their perspectives on how Illinois ought to pursue gas-system decarbonization. Seventeen parties volunteered to present, and the facilitator broke those into three categories: All options Energy efficiency, electrification and geothermal Alternative gases or other pathways Only one gas utility spoke–Ameren Illinois–and they were one of the three in the “All Options” category. The other presenters ranged from the environmentally-focused to those seemingly wanting to pitch their consulting services or to hawk a product. (Replays of both meetings can be found here.) Not to play favorites, but there were a couple of perspectives that stood out to me. First, the City of Chicago’s presentation struck me as an example of how local governments should be leading the way on protecting people, public health and ratepayer interests. The City’s Department of Environment doesn’t pretend that it knows what the future holds, nor does it suppose that a transition away from gas will be quick and perfectly smooth. Instead they set decarbonization goals and plan how they can reach those goals. They take into account Chicagoans’ diverse material conditions, and brainstorm ways to assist those who will need it in this transition. If I could assume the City’s perspective, or what it hopes will result from this Future of Gas proceeding, it would be that the ICC has the opportunity to enable the outcomes Chicago would like to see. Another perspective that I found encouraging came from Climate Jobs Illinois (CJI), a labor coalition attempting to unify the varied interests of its members toward embracing a massive shift in the energy and heating sectors. CJI’s pro-worker, pro-climate stance recognizes that, for pipefitters in particular, thermal energy networks (TENs)–a way to cleanly and efficiently heat and cool an entire neighborhood–are ideally suited for people in the pipes trades. While there is loud resistance to decarbonization from some union locals, CJI seems to understand that their coalition of workers–from skilled tradespeople to teachers–has the potential to be a unique and important voice in a managed clean energy transition. I found several of the other presentations questionable, either because they were so obviously sales pitches for consulting services, or shills for private interests–such commercials don’t seem appropriate for a proceeding initiated by state regulators such as the Future of Gas. Shame on them. Then there were the presentations with which I wholly disagree, such as building a market for biogas or “renewable natural gas,” but at least those presenters didn’t try to hide their motives. Others did hide behind euphemistic phrases like “consumer choice” when they plainly don’t represent consumer interests. Onward. Now that Phase 2(a) is over, the next phase, 2(b), kicks off mid-March. Phase 2(b) will be broken into two working groups that will meet separately: Pilots. Pilot group meetings will require participants to sort through the more than 100 pilot proposals submitted late last year. The group will be asked to categorize the pilots based on concepts, methods and goals, speculate as to how those pilots might be […]

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Illinois Future of Gas: Electrification Meeting Pt. 2 – November 18, 2024

Elizabeth — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 19:57:46 +0000

By: Scott Allen, Energy Policy Specialist On Monday, November 18, the Future of Gas workshop wrapped up its exploration of building electrification as a decarbonization pathway. The previous workshop (November 4) focused on residential and industrial opportunities, while this time the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) discussed commercial appliance switching for space heating and cooling, water heating and cooking. The other two presentations were from ComEd and Ameren. ComEd’s presentation was fairly well structured and addressed questions about its ability to meet winter peaking demand and whether heat pumps can be both adequate and cost effective. Ameren’s presentation was the opposite of all that. As was the case with industrial decarbonization, I think EPRI’s presentation is worth looking over if for no other reason than seeing some studies on the effectiveness of heat pumps and electric cooking. I also appreciated EPRI taking time to talk about the scale of commercial building emissions at the Illinois and national levels. It’s important to keep in mind the amount of gas each sector of the economy uses and for what purposes, lest we get caught up in the arguments from the fossil fuel industry that these sectors are either impossible to electrify, or that these sectors don’t represent much of an impact at all. This graphic shows us how commercial buildings use fossil fuels for heat, and the carbon dioxide emissions resulting from those uses: Not surprisingly, space heating is particularly dirty in the commercial sector, followed by cooking and water heating. In Illinois, according to EPRI’s study of U.S. Energy Information Administration data, 20 percent of methane gas is used in commercial buildings, and these buildings also account for 20 percent of our energy use in the state. Illinois is the eighth largest methane consumer in the nation. The good news is that across each sector of the economy the state can significantly reduce the amount of gas we need for all categories of end use, and we can begin that reduction now without much hesitation. Further reductions can continue through the medium term (5-15 years), and in the long term, we can focus on those “hard to decarbonize” end uses. So what is stopping us from embarking on a more significant reduction? As far as I can tell from these workshops, it’s an absence of effective policy combined with fear-mongering from proponents of gas. That’s not to say that there aren’t legitimate concerns to discuss, but there’s a difference between discussion and action. The goal for gas advocates in this process is to ensure that we never get to the action part, and they work to achieve this goal by discussing barriers and pushing non-decarbonization actions. Depending on the subject of the workshop and the points of view being presented, the challenges of decarbonization and the level of difficulty assigned to each of them tend to shift from meeting to meeting. When it comes to electrification, I think everybody involved would agree that the electric grid, appliance/equipment capability and affordability are three of the most important challenges to consider. ComEd addressed each of them in its presentation, and had a relatively positive […]

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Washington Post: Hiring a contractor for home electrification projects? Ask these questions!

Jim Chilsen — Fri, 17 May 2024 11:34:04 +0000

The Washington Post provided a helpful checklist of key questions to ask for consumers wanting to electrify their homes. “Home upgrades are rarely easy, but home electrification projects present a novel challenge,” writes Climate Advice Columnist Michael J. Coren. “The technology inside modern appliances such as heat pumps, water heaters, induction stoves and EV chargers advances quickly. Devices may talk to the electrical grid and each other. Not everyone is prepared to treat the home as a digital, interconnected system, especially for homes that were designed for the fossil-fuel era.” But energy efficiency and electrification are key, if we want to effectively fight climate change and reach net zero by 2050, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. The Post asked more than a dozen experts and contractors for tips on how to pick solid electrification contractors for projects like installing an induction stove, a heat pump or solar panels. Here are some questions to ask: What’s the (energy efficiency) state of your home? Before you begin any project, make your home as energy efficient as possible. Consider an energy audit (and remember, you can get a tax credit) or at least a DIY audit. What do you want to electrify? Don’t wait for an appliance to break, start creating your electrification plan now. Doing projects in the right order can avoid expensive hassles, such as having to bring an electrician back for multiple projects. Check out Rewiring America’s electrification planner and RMI’s green upgrade calculator. Do you need a second opinion? Do your own research, but consider seeking the insight of an engineering professional (a mechanical or electrical engineer) to make the best choices on electrification technologies. This guidance comes with a cost, of course, but the price tag can be worth it if it leads to equipment and efficiency savings. Will the contractor give you options? Some contractors may only push a system they know, and that can be dead wrong. For example, a contractor may tell you that heat pumps don’t work in cold climates. “That’s a myth derived from the limitations of models from the 1970s,” The Post reports. Modern heat pumps work down to minus-25 degrees, Energy Star says. The right contractor won’t hem and haw; the right contractor will find electrification solutions for you, no matter where you live. The Post offers this guide about asking the right HVAC questions. How can you tell if your contractor is qualified? Look for lists of contractors verified by third parties, such as state and local governments, as well as appliance manufacturers. Other options include national lists (such as EPA-recognized contractor directories), testing organizations (such as North American Technician Excellence and industry trade associations (such as the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, or ACCA). To read the full checklist, see The Washington Post article here. Also, read these additional CUB resources: Heat Pumps: A Buyer’s Checklist What’s the deal with air source heat pumps? CUB investigates CUB’s Better Heat Guide (statewide version) And more at our Electrification page

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Another Reason Illinois Must Act

Megan — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 21:28:55 +0000

Last week, President Trump reversed a 1968 decision allowing California to set more stringent car emissions standards than the federal government—a blow to the growing electric vehicle (EV) industry. Here’s why we should care about this in Illinois: 1) The latest move by the Administration just reinforces the urgency of states taking their own steps to work for a future with clean, affordable energy. That’s why in Illinois it’s vital we fight for the Clean Energy Jobs Act in the Fall Veto Session in October! 2) Because of California’s size, any setback to its clean energy policy can have national ramifications. The White House’s decision is bad for air quality of course, but it’s also bad for your bottom line: CUB’s own studies have shown that electrification can lead to lower bills even for people who don’t drive. Even some car manufacturers oppose this move to trample on a state’s authority to set its own clean energy agenda. Tell the White House: Restore California’s authority to set auto emissions standards!

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