Lower utility bills.
Healthier indoor air.
Energy independence.

Let’s Electrify Oakland

Hey, I’m George. A few years ago I moved into an Oakland home originally built in the 1930s. And although incredibly charming, much of the original charm was causing issues — uncontrollable heat loss, leaky single pane windows, a broken gas powered boiler, and a power hungry electric resistance water heater.

As a home builder and technologist, it was important that I upgrade my home to reflect updated building energy standards, while staying on a budget. Luckily, thanks to major improvements in home heating and cooling technology and generous government incentive programs, there is no better time to electrify our homes.

But finding the right resources to support your home’s transition to all-electric can be challenging. To help Oaklanders, I’ve gathered some of the best resources and programs to help with your electric upgrade.

What is electrification?

Electrification is a term that is used to describe the process of replacing all of your gas burning appliances (like your heater, water heater, clothes dryer, and stove), with electric appliances.

Home electrification has become popular in recent years for many reasons, including improving indoor air quality, reducing our dependence on imported fossil fuels, and for many, reducing the cost of our utility bill.

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Why does it matter?

Health Concerns

What’s become critically important to my family is the health impact of burning gas. Peer-reviewed studies have shown that using gas stoves in kitchens with poor ventilation will produce a byproduct that can cause childhood asthma and put adults with asthma at risk.

Lower Cost

By using gas appliances, we become dependent on utility companies to provide us access to the fuel. As more homeowners transition to electricity, utility providers will need to distribute the cost of maintaining gas lines and importing gas to the remaining gas customers, driving prices up.

Climate Change

Whether it’s propane, methane, or any other fossil fuel, the gases that power most of the heating and cooling in our homes contributes to climate change. In fact, buildings account for nearly 1/3 of total global emissions.

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Do I qualify for incentives?

Incentives come many flavors - a tax credit, a deduction, and even rebate discounts. And with incentive programs from the federal government down to the local government level, there’s something for everyone.

Homeowner

As a homeowner, you’re able to take advantage of incentives for replacing individual items up to $14,000 in total depending on your household income.

You can also qualify for even greater savings if you do a “whole-house efficiency retrofit” by replacing all gas burning appliances in your home at once.

Renter

As a renter, your options are limited, but don’t worry, there are still a few options that can save you money over time by getting smarter with your energy consumption with smart thermostats and energy reward apps like OhmConnect.

For Homeowners

For Renters

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How do I get started?

Self Service

If you’re ready to tackle electrification head on, good news, there’s a tool for that. Rewiring America’s IRA Savings Calculator uses your location and estimated income to show you which incentives apply to your situation.

1-on-1 Assistance

Non-profit organization BayRen provides free consultations with home energy experts to help you with specific questions about your project whether you’re a renter, homeowner, or property owner. BayRen is recommended by the City of Oakland.

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