jedrider wrote:I always thought that it was far less expensive to heat one's house with natural gas than with electricity.
For stove tops, yes, electrical induction is supposed to be the most efficient, however. To heat water, an electric kettle is considered the best.
So, I don't know.
It depends, but it sure as hell is a lot cleaner re pollution and AGW than coal.
I live smack in the middle of coal country where coal is cheap, and our provider, KU, primarily has used coal since I was a kid. It's just economics. With only 300,000ish people and spread out in my city, we don't have noticeable smog 99% of the time (very hot stagnant periods can be an exception).
I think to the safety equipment getting far more complex on modern gas appliances and also the rules re the infrastructure like pipes, fittings, shut-off valves, etc. getting more stringent (at least in my experience), much of the prior advantage of gas vs. electric appliance cost is gone.
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I suppose for CA, this might make sense IF their grid can be primarily green. For places like central KY, most likely the opposite unless and until the grid becomes largely green, which unless coal is made expensive (good luck given the politics around here), the economics is against it.
And the politicians are ALL about pro-business economics around here. Never would raise tobacco taxes much since lots of tobacco grown here. Supporting coal. Big business vs. things like health prevail in a lot of the red states, generally. I think blue states are becoming more of a mixed bag, generally, over time.
Given the track record of the perma-doomer blogs, I wouldn't bet a fast crash doomer's money on their predictions.