Incite Post | Scaling Electrification

Electrification regulations are heating up – we’ve seen New York recently ban gas hookups in most new building construction by 2026 and California ban the sale of diesel trucks by 2036. Compared to where we started, these are huge victories – but as those dates show, we are years out from enforcement, and even further from systematic change that regulates not just new, but existing non-electric cars, stoves and other devices.

What’s on our mind these days is near-term scale: in the absence of universal, aggressive regulation, what does it look like to make these technologies mainstream, as quickly as possible? How do we electrify millions of gas powered cars, industries and home appliances, taking into account diverse infrastructure requirements, logistics and costs? If the technology and funding exist, why does it still seem so out of reach for so many Americans and businesses? 

An alarming number of studies show the harmful health implications of gas stoves and we know that in nearly every case, consumer-electrical upgrades are better than their alternatives. With the Inflation Reduction Act’s electrification rebates and innovative consumer product improvements coming to market, the cost and performance of electric-upgrades is competitive with gas alternatives. Yet – only 44% of Americans currently support banning gas lines in new construction, and 41% of Americans say they will never buy an electric vehicle. Plus there’s the argument that this unlocks opportunities for American innovation and companies.

You could argue that electrification will be a tipping-point phenomenon – one day we’ll cross a threshold in public opinion that leads to rapid scale. In either case, our job is simple: drive both the institutional and societal change necessary to speed up the pace of electrification. That is more than just an incentives task – it requires consistent climate education, pushing back on fossil fuel propaganda, and supporting innovative technical development. 

Perhaps that means leading not with climate, but rather with the performance, long-term cost, or convenience improvements that come with electrification. And while local, state, and federal electrification incentives are fantastic, navigating them can be tedious and complex – how do we design systems that do the heavy lifting for consumers, breaking down their available rebates, filling out the forms, and finding them certified installers?

One thing’s for certain – we need a lot more investment, incentive, and regulatory policy to drive rapid-scale electrification. Our friends at Climate Changemakers understand that better than most and have made it their mission to guide everyday Americans to participate in civic action. Scroll down to learn more about them, and how you can get involved.