While you might not have heard about it outside of transportation, Electrification is a rising megatrend across the United States. It means using the low-cost and plentiful electricity we have on hand to power systems that traditionally run on fossil fuels. In your home, that would boil down to cooking and heating. Because our electrical grid is rapidly growing in efficiency and decreasing dependence on the dirtiest fuels, this makes sense.
But like most great ideas, this one isn’t new. Sixty years ago, all-electric homes were promoted to grow a new electrical infrastructure. Today, the concept works to stabilize the existing electrical infrastructure and take advantage of more efficient electrical technology.
Your co-op is providng cleaner and cleaner electricity. Resources like hydroelectric dams in Arkansas, nuclear plants in Virginia, and wind farms in Kansas are adding significant capacity to our grid. In 2023, renewable sources outpaced coal in electricity production. 2024 shows no signs of that trend slowing down. And chances are, as a member of an electric cooperative, you own your electric company while your fuel provider is strictly in business to make a profit.
Heating and cooling your home with a geothermal heat pump delivers between 400% and 600% efficiency. (Most of that energy comes from the ground) As a bonus, most of these “geo” systems also deliver “free hot water” for storage in your water heater. By contrast, gas furnaces and water heaters operate between 78% and 96% efficiency.
We invite you to visit these websites to learn more about the electrification megatrend:
• Electric.coop (NRECA, America’s Electric Cooperatives)
• GeoExchange.org (The Geothermal Exchange Organization, non-profit Geothermal Heat Pump Industry trade association)
• IRS.gov (search: Credits and deductions under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022)
• US DoE Study on Geothermal Heat Pumps: https://www. energy.gov/eere/articles/usdepartment- energy-analysishighlights- geothermal-heatpumps- pathway-decarbonized
