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It’s time to reduce fossil fuel consumption — but let’s not eliminate any of our gas heating appliances just yet.

Utilities in California are encouraging homeowners with large rebates to switch appliances to all-electric. The City of Berkeley banned natural gas in new building construction. The California Public Utility Commission has been actively working to change building codes to ban gas appliances altogether. The CPUC actually just sanctioned a Southern California gas utility for discouraging the changing of building codes to ban natural gas. Gov. Newsom had signed legislation banning small gas engine generators. Natural gas is no longer the clean energy it once was considered by our energy policy makers because they have been misguided by a misleading trending warmer climate. Climate change has been historically cyclical.

Let’s not limit our options this fast. There is no doubt the climate is changing, but the next cycle may become colder days without sunshine, months without wind. I have seen the weather swing all ways here in Northern California. All it may take is a volcano eruption in a faraway land and our climate may shift to cold and wet winters again.

Take a good look at dual-fan heating for your home.

The basic idea behind dual fuel is that it’s a more energy-efficient way to heat your home than just using natural gas or just using an electric heat pump. According to many experts, dual fuel systems cost less to operate than “pure” heat pump or natural gas systems to operate because they capitalize on the benefits of both while avoiding the drawbacks.

Dual-fuel systems use a heat pump when it’s “cool, but not super cold” outside. They switch to natural gas when it really gets cold. In the summer the heat pump reverses the refrigeration cycle and becomes the air conditioner.

Here is what makes this a compelling idea: A heat pump nowadays is more efficient than a gas furnace at higher temperatures. The dual-fuel system defaults to a heat pump on milder days. Natural gas is more efficient for bigger heating loads, so the dual-fuel system uses gas when temperatures get really low. Most dual-fuel systems are set up so that electricity heats your home when the outdoor temperature is greater than 40 degrees. When it dips below 40, natural gas heat kicks in.

Solano County temperatures can drop below 40 in the winter, but not as often as you may think. Temps drop below 40 mostly between 4-7 a.m. This is the time for those who set their thermostats back at night that their homes need to heat back up to their comfort set point. For most people, it’s easier to get out of bed in a warm home.

Then there is the environmental benefit. Fossil fuels produce carbon dioxide, so minimizing fossil fuel consumption is the new goal. Utilities are now delivering more power from windmills, solar, and hydroelectric and less from natural gas and nuclear. We currently have no nuclear power plants operating in California generating our power.

Many individuals have added solar power to their own roofs. This will capitalize on the electric power they are self-generating from their own solar arrays instead of consuming a fossil fuel when a gas furnace is the only heating component. We are all better off having options, and preparedness for what comes next.

Reliable natural gas is something we still need. Rolling power outages can last for weeks. Many have prepared by adding their own power natural gas generator to their home and/or business. Don’t fall for any all-electric options until we get our electrical power problems sorted out.

We aren’t ready to eliminate natural gas — it’s not the demon many claim it is when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions. Natural gas burns clean with very little carbon.

I don’t work in the natural gas industry but I have worked in HVAC most of my life and I think more of us should speak up about this push to end natural gas consumption and say “not so fast.” Slow your roll, climatologists blaming fossil fuel consumption for climate change. We still need to have contingencies for what happens if “experts” are wrong or weather cycles swing back to colder wetter days or nights, or rolling power outages because of drought, or power brownouts.

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