Electrification: Opportunities in many but not all applications

(ACEEE blog, 7 Feb 2020) Electrification – shifting from fossil fuels to electricity – is a key strategy for decarbonizing the US economy. While it may not be workable in all applications, given current and likely technologies as well as economics, electrification can reduce energy use, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and save consumers money in many applications

In this post, ACEEE discusses key opportunities for electrification by sector and underscore the importance of energy efficiency as a critical partner.

The ACEEE blog gives a comprehensive overview of several sectors: transportation, industry, homes, commercial buildings, and zero-carbon fuels, and concludes:

There are many excellent applications for electrification, such as for many or most cars, trucks, new homes and buildings, many existing homes and buildings, and many industrial applications. But electrification does not have a clear path to viability for some applications, such as long-haul trucks and planes, high-temperature industrial applications, and heating existing homes in the northern US on the coldest days of the year. For these applications, we will likely need zero-carbon fuels. But supplies of these clean fuels will be limited and should perhaps be reserved for applications where there are no other viable options.

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ACEEE blog, 7 Feb 2020: Electrification: Opportunities in many but not all applications