{"id":4326,"date":"2020-06-01T12:43:17","date_gmt":"2020-06-01T16:43:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.capelightcompact.org\/how-does-strategic-electrification-impact-you\/"},"modified":"2020-06-01T12:43:17","modified_gmt":"2020-06-01T16:43:17","slug":"how-does-strategic-electrification-impact-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.capelightcompact.org\/es\/how-does-strategic-electrification-impact-you\/","title":{"rendered":"How Does\u00a0Strategic\u00a0Electrification Impact You?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

How Does\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Strategic\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Electrification Impact You<\/span><\/b>?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n

We use electricity in our homes and businesses every da<\/span>y \u2013\u00a0<\/span>it\u2019s tied to almost everything we do.\u00a0<\/span>Electricity\u00a0<\/span>has\u00a0<\/span>typically come from<\/span>\u00a0centralized power plants that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>have\u00a0<\/span>primarily<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>burned fossil fuels<\/span>\u00a0like\u00a0<\/span>coal and natural gas<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>but that\u2019s beginning to change<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>U.S. electric<\/span>ity generation i<\/span>s becoming cleaner, shifting away from high carbon emitting fuels like coal and\u00a0<\/span>integrating\u00a0<\/span>more renewable sources like solar, wind, and battery storage<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation are already\u00a0<\/span>down 27<\/span>%<\/span><\/a>\u00a0from their peak in 2007<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>And the<\/span>\u00a0move towards cleaner electricity is\u00a0<\/span>picking up speed<\/span>;<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>14\u00a0<\/span>states, the District of Columbia<\/span><\/a>, and\u00a0<\/span>over 200 U.S. cities and counties<\/span><\/a>\u00a0have\u00a0<\/span>committed to 100<\/span>%\u00a0<\/span>clean electricity within the next several decades<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Massachusetts\u00a0<\/span>currently has\u00a0<\/span>a goal of\u00a0<\/span>reducing\u00a0<\/span>emissions\u00a0<\/span>across sectors\u00a0<\/span>by at least<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>80<\/span>%<\/span><\/a>, relative to 1990 levels, by 2050<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>On the Cape and Vineyard,\u00a0<\/span>Cape Light Compact\u2019s power supply program<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>already provides<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>customers\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0renewable energy.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This progress toward cleaner electricity\u00a0<\/span>has\u00a0<\/span>led s<\/span>tates<\/span>\u00a0like Massachusetts\u00a0<\/span>to include a concept know<\/span>n<\/span>\u00a0as<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>strategic<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>electrification<\/span>\u00a0in their emission reduction plans.\u00a0<\/span>So<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0what\u00a0<\/span>is\u00a0<\/span>strategic electrification<\/span>\u00a0and how does it affect you? We have put together some information\u00a0<\/span>to help you fill in\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0gaps\u00a0<\/span>and know the opportunities available to you.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Strategic\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Electrification?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Strategic e<\/span>lectrification<\/span><\/a>\u00a0is the concept of shifting technologies that use fossil fuels\u00a0<\/span>like propane, natural gas<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0gasoline,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>or<\/span>\u00a0oil,\u00a0<\/span>to those that use electricity<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>when doing so provides a net benefit<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>End-use customers may benefit from reduced energy costs,\u00a0<\/span>increased health and safety,\u00a0<\/span>and greater convenience. Electric utilities can benefit\u00a0<\/span>from increased electric sales and grid reliability<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and t<\/span>he environment can benefit from reduced emissions, especially as electricity generation becomes cleaner.\u00a0<\/span>Not all these benefits occur\u00a0<\/span>with every conversion from fossil fuels to\u00a0<\/span>electricity<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0however.\u00a0<\/span>To define when it is\u00a0<\/span>strategic\u00a0<\/span><\/i>electrification<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0t<\/span>he\u00a0<\/span>Beneficial Electrification League<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>established four criteria<\/span>;\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0electrification must meet at least one of these\u00a0<\/span>criteria\u00a0<\/span>without adversely impacting the others to\u00a0<\/span>be considered \u201cbeneficial<\/span>\u201d:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n