Carbon and Climate

Adjustments for natural gas leaks modestly inflate both the cost and benefits of heat pump conversions.

This post takes an alternative path to the conclusion that we should think of the power generated to support heat pumps as coming mostly from natural gas, at least through roughly 2040.

Over the next decade or two, while renewable generation will increase, to the extent we add significant electricity demand from heat pumps on top of our existing demand, that additional demand will mostly fire up natural gas power generators.

I feel an obligation to share my family’s mixed results since I’ve told a positive story so far.

One of the important questions we face as we navigate towards an electrified future is the need to upgrade local power distribution systems. 

Overall, we are on best feasible path towards building electrification, although there are some uncertainties and some adjustments that we may need to make.