Day 72 / 365
For this week’s theme on energy, I invited a company called MyDomino to do some guestposts for me on the economical and ecological benefits of green/clean energy in your home. MyDomino provides a service where they can personalise what programs are available and practical for you and your home and give you some financial projections on when you’ll break even on any green energy investments you make. This isn’t a sponsored post, I haven’t received any money for posting their stories, I am instead happily taking a partial break this week to get after some freelance work outside this blog and share their expert insight with you. I’ve written the intros but the suggestions are theirs.
Electricity has been around since the dawn of time, we weren’t really able to harness it until the early 1800s, and even then, the first incandescent light bulb wasn’t patented until 1879. Since then, we’ve gone on to use electricity to power just about everything we touch and experience. But where that electricity comes from makes all the difference.
The last 10 years has seen a huge jump in advances which make generating electricity sustainably possible on a grand scale, which is a huge thing for our species and the planet, as green power is the key to ditching dirty fuels.
I asked MyDomino to explain for their last guestpost in this series just how and why ditching these dirty fuels can benefit us going forward:
[HOW ELECTRICITY CAN FREE US FROM DIRTY FUELS]
How do we make the transition from dirty fuels to clean, renewable energy? It’s simple. We have the technology today to switch from coal, oil, and gas to electricity — in our homes and in our cars. If we switch to electricity, and then use clean sources to generate that electricity, we can get to 100% clean.
This is all within reach. Today, we can use clean, renewable electricity for:
– Lights, appliances, and everything else we’re already powering with electricity
– Heating and cooling our homes
– Cooking
– Driving
– Heating and cooling our homes
– Cooking
– Driving
Power all those with solar panels or green power, and you’re off dirty energy. Best of all, you don’t have to make lifestyle sacrifices. Modern electric cars and appliances work even better than their dirty-energy counterparts, it’s a natural progression.
[THE SURPRISING BENEFITS OF ELECTRICITY]
More and more of our appliances and vehicles are running on electricity. In the past, items that ran on dirty fuels were generally considered superior to their electric counterparts. But this is now changing.
Tesla’s Model S, for example, has won several Car of the Year awards. It was competing across the entire industry, not just against electric cars. A Model S may be out of reach for many, but a lot of what makes it great isn’t related to its price — and many affordable models are coming on the market. Electric cars are safe, drive well, and are more reliable than their gas counterparts. Do we need to mention that they’re cleaner?
The benefits of electricity aren’t limited to cars. Electric heat pumps can heat and cool your home more efficiently than traditional furnaces. Electric tankless water heaters are catching on, thanks to their ability to heat just the water that’s actually coming out of the tap. And electric induction stoves cook food more quickly, allow more control, and are safer to use and easier to clean than other types of stoves.
[BATTERIES ARE BETTER THAN EVER]
Making it even easier to go all-electric are modern batteries. Battery technology has come a long way in recent years. The cost is continuing to come down, while performance is improving. Lithium-ion batteries, in particular, have dropped in price as production has vastly ramped up in recent years.
Energy storage density is improving as well. Smaller, longer-lasting batteries are now paving the way for you to use more electrical products throughout your home. And research is going into new types of batteries that will perform even better. Battery storage will be increasingly used along with solar power in coming years.
[THE ENERGY GRID IS GETTING GREENER]
We’re changing how we get our electricity. Instead of buying power from the utility company, more and more people are choosing to make it themselves. Rooftop solar provides homeowners with a way to both save money and switch to clean, renewable energy. Community solar is also becoming increasingly available, and allows anyone — even renters — to make the switch to solar. Green power options around the country are also making it easier for more people to use clean energy.
It’s not just individuals who are making the switch. Large companies like Google and Walmart are moving to renewable electricity as well. Even utilities themselves are getting on board and experimenting with micro-grids, which include renewable electricity and battery backups.
It’s easy to power your life with electricity
With the world increasingly electrifying everything, we’re at a point where ditching dirty fuels makes sense. Household items of all kinds work great with clean, renewable electricity.
If you were planning to get a new car soon, or replace your furnace — or just want to save with solar — now’s a great time to take action. Reach out to MyDomino to talk with a concierge and determine what options will work best for you. Curiosity won’t ‘kill the cat’ in these sustainable situations!
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