Electric vs. gas debate heats up

By John Murawski · The News & Observer

In this mention

North Carolina's electric utilities Progress Energy and Duke are proposing customer incentive programs for energy-efficient appliances under a new state renewable and efficiency law. Natural gas companies fear this creates unfair competitive advantage and fuel-switching incentives. Stephen Smith of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy warns that promoting electricity-based efficiency in a coal-heavy state contradicts environmental goals, as natural gas is more efficient for heating.

We don't want to provide some sort of perverse incentive for fuel switching when electricity may be the least efficient option. The bias should be toward maximum efficiency and minimum environmental impact. From a pure physics point of view, there's a real advantage to natural gas for hot water and direct cooking.
Stephen A. Smith

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