I live in Buffalo, New York and recently, I saw a news report that discussed the new climate change initiative that was passed by the federal government.
Basically, the initiative is trying to move all homes away from using natural gas.
Currently, there are a lot of homes in Buffalo including mine that depend solely on natural gas to keep comfortable in the Winter. I have a furnace as well as a hot water heater that uses natural gas as its source of energy. The initiative would like to replace all the natural gas appliances with highly efficient electric alternatives by 2030. The cost of replacing the furnace as well as the water heater will be astounding but the government is offering some incentives as well as tax breaks to offset the price. For now, I don’t need to do anything with my furnace or hot water heater, it mainly impacts new houses or new equipment being purchased. But if my furnace or hot water heater doesn’t last for another 7 years, I will need to upgrade to the newer units as well. I don’t know if it will be cheaper to use these new HVAC heat pumps that the government is promoting, and I don’t know if these electric heat pumps will be able to keep my home comfortable in the brutal Winter. I guess as they start to install these heat pumps in people’s homes, the data collected will show how well they are performing. At least, for now, I don’t need to worry about this new initiative, and I will deal with it when it’s time to replace my furnace or hot water heater.