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Climate Action

Electrify Your Kitchen Stove!
By Donna Davies
Posted: 2023-07-24T16:00:00Z

Are you thinking of replacing your kitchen stove? It's a good time to electrify your kitchen. Gas cooktops cause pollution which is harmful to your health and is associated with a higher risk of asthma in children. More importantly, natural gas cooktops release carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and formaldehyde while increasing greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate disruption.


A couple of years ago, my husband and I had an electrician take out our thirty year old gas range and swapped it out for an electric one. He capped the gas outlet in the wall and installed the 240/250- volt, 50 amp circuit to accommodate the electric range. The stove was reasonably priced, is quiet and easy to clean. Here is how the shiny, flat surface looks like when a couple of burners are turned on.

 

 

A neighbor installed an induction cooktop because she wanted to get the most energy efficient stove she could buy. In addition, induction cooktops heat food and water faster than traditional electric ones. Although I have tried a portable induction cooktop for a short time, my electric stove is much quieter and I value that. My husband was concerned about buying all new pots and pans for an induction stove but I discovered three of ours were magnetic and would work fine. Induction cooktops have precise, accurate heat levels and are safer than electric stoves as the surface is cool to the touch. Besides that, the units automatically shut off when there is no cookware on the surface and this reduces the risk of fire. However, they are more expensive than electric stoves.



If you are renting a home or would like to temporarily and inexpensively transform your gas cooktop to an induction one, Aryn Baker, a climate correspondent, has a great idea. She and her husband removed the grates on top of their gas stove, placed a thick piece of butcher block wood on top, cut to fit, and set down a portable, two burner induction unit on the left, which you see in the photo. Ms. Baker purchased it online for $100.



There are rebates available to reduce the cost of switching to electric cooking. BayRen, an organization which implements regional energy savings programs, offers them. Silicon Valley Clean Energy offers up to $500 per circuit of prewiring for future electric appliances, up to $1000 for a main panel upgrade when paired with other upgrades, and up to $500 bonus for removal of the gas meter. Here is the Quick Guide: Home Electification Rebates compiled by the Mountain View Sustainability Department. Finally, you may be able to receive a federal tax credit up to $600 for an electric panel upgrade.