Posted on Dec 15, 2022
Why transforming the grid is critical to Oregon’s clean-energy future
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One person’s dream home might be a villa on the shore of Italy’s Lake Como, while another’s is a clifftop mansion overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Will Musser’s is a house that blends in with his Portland neighborhood.
“It’s comfortable, not ostentatious or kind of extravagant,” Musser said. “It’s pretty much got everything that I want.”
Musser’s dream home is equipped with solar panels, an electric water heater, a smart electric panel, an induction stove, an electric vehicle charger and a battery storage system. Upgrading the house to minimize the Musser family’s carbon footprint — their dependence on fossil fuels that contribute to climate change — took over a year to complete and cost about $50,000.
Musser is a climate change and sustainability advocate. He hopes his retrofitted house will serve as an example for how other early adopters can transition their homes to 100% electric power without trying to get off the grid or live an ultra-sustainable lifestyle.
“It’s just lowering your carbon footprint and maximizing livability and comfort,” he said.
“It’s comfortable, not ostentatious or kind of extravagant,” Musser said. “It’s pretty much got everything that I want.”
Musser’s dream home is equipped with solar panels, an electric water heater, a smart electric panel, an induction stove, an electric vehicle charger and a battery storage system. Upgrading the house to minimize the Musser family’s carbon footprint — their dependence on fossil fuels that contribute to climate change — took over a year to complete and cost about $50,000.
Musser is a climate change and sustainability advocate. He hopes his retrofitted house will serve as an example for how other early adopters can transition their homes to 100% electric power without trying to get off the grid or live an ultra-sustainable lifestyle.
“It’s just lowering your carbon footprint and maximizing livability and comfort,” he said.
Why transforming the grid is critical to Oregon’s clean-energy future
Posted from opb.org
Energy
Climate Change
Policy
Posted >1 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."The law has set the state on a course to meet one of the nation’s most ambitious climate goals. Adam Schultz, the Oregon Department of Energy’s electricity and markets policy group lead, said so far Oregon is doing fine in meeting those goals but there is more work to do to get more renewable energy in the system to replace what’s being produced from burning fossil fuels.
“We still have certainly quite a bit of fossil, mostly natural gas, some coal still powering Oregonians’ homes,” he said.
According to the Oregon Department of Energy’s 2020 data, hydroelectricity is the state’s main source of electricity. But natural gas — mostly made up of the potent greenhouse gas methane — has become one of Oregon’s fastest-growing energy resources in the past decade. The state’s use of natural gas has doubled since 2012. Power from natural gas-fired energy plants make up about 22% of the state’s electric use."
..."The law has set the state on a course to meet one of the nation’s most ambitious climate goals. Adam Schultz, the Oregon Department of Energy’s electricity and markets policy group lead, said so far Oregon is doing fine in meeting those goals but there is more work to do to get more renewable energy in the system to replace what’s being produced from burning fossil fuels.
“We still have certainly quite a bit of fossil, mostly natural gas, some coal still powering Oregonians’ homes,” he said.
According to the Oregon Department of Energy’s 2020 data, hydroelectricity is the state’s main source of electricity. But natural gas — mostly made up of the potent greenhouse gas methane — has become one of Oregon’s fastest-growing energy resources in the past decade. The state’s use of natural gas has doubled since 2012. Power from natural gas-fired energy plants make up about 22% of the state’s electric use."
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