Clean Heat Fact Sheet
Clean Heat - The Goal We Need
Meeting climate goals requires early and equitable action
“Equity must be at the center of the global response... Wealthier countries
will have to cut emissions more quickly, making reductions by 2030 beyond
those currently proposed and reaching net-zero emissions before 2050.”
Natural gas is methane and it is making us sick
Methane gas is 86 times as potent as CO2
“Natural gas” is approximately 90% methane plus ethane, butane and propane
Methane leaks occur throughout the supply chain from extraction to our homes
75% of air pollution from gas stoves is emitted when the gas stoves are off
The majority of methane gas extraction requires fracking, polluting gas and air
Pollution from methane gas is driving up asthma and cancer rates
Cooking with gas stoves creates NO2 and releases PM2.5, both lung irritants
12.7% of childhood asthma cases are attributed to the use of gas stoves
Gas stoves emit benzene levels above secondhand smoke: even low doses of benzene in the air pose risk of cancers
Toxic pollution particularly impacts predominantly BIPOC communities near oil and gas extraction and refining sites
Why we need to beat 2050
27 years gives the fossil fuel industry too much time to slow walk and obstruct progress — as they are doing now by:
Incentivizing the continued buildout of gas infrastructure. CenterPoint Energy awards cash and fully paid trips for builders who install gas appliances and heating
Investing in false solutions like manure lagoons and landfills. Renewable natural gas depends on manure lagoons from feedlots, impacting community air and water quality
Electrification and Efficiency
Heat Pumps are less expensive over time and healthier
Full electrification: $13-$15 billion energy cost reduction and $55.8 million—$129.5 million saved in cumulative health benefits by 2050 in MN
Even in colder regions that don ’t maximize heat pump efficiency, air source heat pumps were found to save nearly $1000 per year compared to oil systems
Dual Source Heat Pumps or electric backups eliminate any need for natural gas
Thermal energy networks utilize underground piping to direct energy from the earth to multiple buildings for cooling and heating (efficiency increases as the network grows)
New York State: First state in the nation to pass a law banning natural gas and other fossil fuels in most new buildings
Minnesota: passed legislation granting state regulators the power to “ mitigate the impact of climate change, ” which preceded the ban on natural gas in new buildings in NY.
Chicago: City council is considering banning natural gas in new buildings
Massachusetts: 10 cities/towns will ban natural gas in all major renovation projects within their borders
Washington DC: Banned most natural gas use in new buildings and outlines a net-zero construction requirement for all new buildings and substantial renovations by 2026
