US Current Household Energy vs. DNREC's Climate Action Plan

US Current Household Energy vs. DNREC's Climate Action Plan

By David T. Stevenson, Director

Center for Energy & Environmental Policy

July 29, 2022

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's (DNREC) Climate Action Plan aims to electrify every building in the state banning natural gas, propane, and oil.

In addition, DNREC's plan also wants all electricity supplied by unreliable wind and solar power, including offshore wind, that by itself could add $400 to $550 a year to electric bills. Lastly, the plan wants everyone to buy an electric vehicle; currently, 85% of charging occurs at home.

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) recently released its Residential Energy Consumption Survey, with the results summarized below:

• Only 29% of homes are all electric, and everyone else would need to go electric as appliances fail (note that electric heat pumps don't work below 30°);

• 40% of homes cannot park a car within 20 feet of an electric outlet, making EV charging impossible;

• 97% have air conditioning with 85% central air; many environmentalists want to ban air conditioning;

• Space heating is 45% electric, 38% natural gas, 8% propane, and 7% oil;

• Water heating is 54% electric, 32% natural gas, and 10% propane;

• 26% have insecure energy, defined as forgoing paying for food or medicine in order to pay an energy bill, keeping the home at an unsafe or unhealthy temperature, receiving a disconnection notice, and being unable to use heating or air conditioning equipment because the equipment was broken and the household could not afford to fix it, the electricity or natural gas supply was disrupted due to nonpayment, or the household could not afford a bulk fuel delivery.

Considering the results (above) from the EIA, Delawareans and legislators should seriously question DNREC's Climate Action Plan!