Help shape a strategy for transitioning Piedmont homes off natural gas by sharing feedback on potential programs that could support residents who want to switch from gas appliance to clean, electric alternatives.

Piedmont’s Sustainability Division is working with a community Task Force to understand existing barriers to home electrification and create a practical and equitable framework for solutions – a vital part of achieving the City’s climate goals.

The short online survey builds on earlier community input, which asked the biggest barriers to home electrification in Piedmont. Now, the task force is exploring possible programs the City could pursue to help address those barriers. Community feedback on these concepts will help determine which ideas to prioritize for further analysis.

The survey asks for input on four program concepts being considered, including:

• organizing neighborhood electrification projects to lower costs through bulk purchasing
• providing short-term appliance loans while property owners make upgrades needed to support electric equipment
• a pilot program to test “smart panel” devices that help residents electrify their homes without expensive panel upgrades

For each of these programs, the survey asks:

• How well could this help to address common barriers to home electrification
• Which program would be most helpful for you personally?
• If the City could only do one of these programs, which would you prioritize?

The survey should take only 5 minutes to complete and is available at piedmont.ca.gov/ElectrificationSurvey. Please share widely with your networks.

Home electrification critical to meeting Piedmont’s climate goals

Natural gas use in residential buildings accounts for roughly half of Piedmont’s in-territory greenhouse gas emissions. Because much of Piedmont’s housing stock is old and large, homes are on-average less energy efficient than those in neighboring communities . Transitioning these buildings from natural gas to renewably sourced electricity not only has many health, safety, and cost benefits, it is a critical part of meeting the City Council’s adopted goal of climate neutrality by 2045.

The City has convened an Electrification Task Force of community representatives, representing a broad range of expertise and experiences, who are working with Sustainability staff to develop a roadmap for how the City can support all community members in the switch to electric appliances – no matter what barriers they may face.

For more information on the Electrification Strategy and Electrification Task Force, including meeting materials, visit piedmont.ca.gov/ElectrificationStrategy. With questions, contact Sustainability Program Manager Deniz Ergun at [email protected].