Cities try to ban natural gas resistance in campaign for fully electric homes

Massachusetts is emerging as a key battleground for the United States over whether to phase out natural gas for cooking and heating in the home, with fears of unknown costs and unknown technologies fueling much of the world. opposition to all electric.

More and more cities around Boston are debating measures to block or limit the use of gas in new construction, citing concerns about climate change. The measures have faced opposition from some home builders, utilities and residents in a state with cold winters, relatively high house prices and aging pipe networks in need of costly repairs.

The Massachusetts debate sums up the challenges many states face in pursuing aggressive action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that can directly impact consumers. The cost of fully electrifying buildings varies widely across the country and has sparked debates over who should potentially pay more or change their ways, in the name of climate progress.

Much of the resistance to electrification in new homes stems from the fear of having to heat or cook using technologies like heat pumps and induction cookers that most have never tried. In New England, most homes are heated with oil or natural gas, and gas or propane is widely used for cooking.

Steve McKenna, a Massachusetts real estate agent, was hired last year to sell a new all-electric home in Arlington, a town outside of Boston that is considering gas restrictions. The house was initially worth $ 1.1 million, but many potential buyers were uncomfortable with the prospect of facing higher utility bills, McKenna said. It ultimately sold for around $ 1 million.