2 ms·

Over half of California’s electricity generation is from natural gas: https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/california-electricity-data/2021-tot

Over half of California’s electricity generation is from natural gas: https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/california-electricity-data/2021-total-system-electric-generation https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/califo... So instead of using gas directly, we’ll convert it to electricity first? Will the extra efficiency of heat pumps counteract the losses from generating and distributing electricity?

Kim_Bruning 4y ago
Since a reasonable air conditioner or heat pump can easily hit a Coefficient of Performance around 3, I'd say the odds are good. And these systems can be used for both heating and cooling. Of course, once you've switched to electricity, you then have the flexibility to (later) swap out the back end for something else that is cheaper/less polluting/some other optimization-du-jour. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coefficient_of_performance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coefficient_of_performance
- LatteLazy 4y ago
  Gas turbine power stations are about 50% efficient. So you need 2x on that heat pump just to break even. You might get that if it's the same temperature inside as outside. But for heating water in winter? Never.
Dagger2 4y ago
The long term goal is to not use gas at all. This is one necessary piece of that jigsaw puzzle.
- rahimnathwani 4y ago
  It's not really a jigsaw puzzle, thought, right? I mean, expanding electricity generation capacity is not dependent on the existence of electric furnaces. Unless they plan to generate the additional electricity with the gas that would otherwise have been used to power consumer furnaces.
  - Dagger2 4y ago
    Maybe a jigsaw puzzle is the wrong analogy. Then again, you can place the pieces in a jigsaw puzzle down in any order, so perhaps it's not completely wrong? The analogy wasn't really the important part of my post.

Kim_Bruning 4y ago

Since a reasonable air conditioner or heat pump can easily hit a Coefficient of Performance around 3, I'd say the odds are good. And these systems can be used for both heating and cooling. Of course, once you've switched to electricity, you then have the flexibility to (later) swap out the back end for something else that is cheaper/less polluting/some other optimization-du-jour. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coefficient_of_performance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coefficient_of_performance

LatteLazy 4y ago
Gas turbine power stations are about 50% efficient. So you need 2x on that heat pump just to break even. You might get that if it's the same temperature inside as outside. But for heating water in winter? Never.

Dagger2 4y ago

The long term goal is to not use gas at all. This is one necessary piece of that jigsaw puzzle.

rahimnathwani 4y ago
It's not really a jigsaw puzzle, thought, right? I mean, expanding electricity generation capacity is not dependent on the existence of electric furnaces. Unless they plan to generate the additional electricity with the gas that would otherwise have been used to power consumer furnaces.
- Dagger2 4y ago
  Maybe a jigsaw puzzle is the wrong analogy. Then again, you can place the pieces in a jigsaw puzzle down in any order, so perhaps it's not completely wrong? The analogy wasn't really the important part of my post.