It is time to start thinking about purchasing more electric products.
As the holiday shopping season begins, I want you to become familiar with the term beneficial electrification. Beneficial electrification is the replacement of products that traditionally use gas or fossil fuels with products powered by electricity to benefit the environment. Think about products like electric leaf blowers, weed trimmers, lawnmowers, and snow blowers instead of gas-powered tools and appliances.
Beneficial electrification is a concept that has been developing over the last several years. There is even a non-profit organization known as the Beneficial Electrification League (BEL) that promotes the use of more electric products in order to:
- Save consumers money over time;
- Benefit the environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
- Improve product quality or consumer quality of life;
- Foster a more resilient grid.
Yes, for years you have been told to reduce the amount of electricity you use to lower greenhouse gas emissions and benefit the environment. However, that idea is being turned upside down as electric generation becomes more renewable. Experts now believe the path to reducing emissions is to actually use more electricity.
Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Northern Electric’s generation and transmission provider, has significantly changed its energy portfolio over the past two decades. In 2000, Basin Electric generated 85 percent of its electricity from coal. Last year, only 40 percent of electric generation came from coal and 30 percent came from renewable resources such as wind and hydro. Basin is also in the process of adding utility-scale solar to its portfolio over the next few years as two major solar projects come online in western South Dakota. It all means that the electricity you use every day is becoming more environmentally friendly.
Beneficial electrification is the concept of using more electricity to create fewer emissions.
Northern Electric already has several ways you can support the beneficial electrification movement. The co-op currently sells large-capacity electric water heaters and offers several rebates and incentives to switch from a natural gas unit to an electric unit. Northern Electric also offers rebates and special rates for members who have electric heating systems. And the emerging electric vehicle market will be a major component of beneficial electrification as gas and diesel vehicles are replaced by cars and trucks powered by electricity.
Purchasing tools and appliances such as electric leaf blowers, weed trimmers, and snow blowers as gifts is an easy way to begin supporting beneficial electrification this holiday season by replacing those old gas-powered tools in the garage.
Beneficial electrification is the concept of using more electricity to create fewer emissions. And the benefits will only continue to grow as electric cooperatives diversify electric generation portfolios with more renewable sources of energy. That is the reason it is time to start thinking about purchasing more electric products during the holiday shopping season and beyond.
