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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (June 2, 2022)
A BET TER PATH TO A RENEWABLE FUTURE The choice is yours–for now. Today, we have a choice between natural gas and electricity. But the Eugene City Council is considering a proposal by activists that would ban natural gas in new homes, businesses and industries. They call it “electrification.” In fact, we’re already free to choose electricity. Anyone who wants to can have all electric appliances in their home. We’re also free to choose natural gas. And most of us do. In Oregon, roughly two out of three choose natural gas for home heating. It ’s efficient, affordable and reliable. And its use in Oregon homes accounts for 4% of the state’s emissions. 1 What’s really on the city council agenda is “forced electrification”– a ban on choice. NW Natural is committed to a carbon-neutral future. We believe a collaborative effort will produce better results – faster and more affordably. There is an inconvenient fact about forced electrification – namely, about half of Oregon’s electricity is generated by coal and natural gas. 2 Electric utilities in Oregon use about as much natural gas to generate electricity as is delivered by all the natural gas utilities in the state combined. 3 It’s true that Eugene is in a unique position compared to most communities because the city’s electric utility is primarily reliant on hydropower from the Bonneville Power Administration. But energy systems are regional, and the electric and gas systems depend on each other to serve communities. Each system provides benefits that together offer greater reliability and resiliency. What a ban really means is eliminating natural gas as a choice in homes and businesses for heating and cooking – and in most cases, using even more of it in less efficient power plants to produce electricity. There is a better path to a renewable future. Be a voice for energy choice. Breakthroughs in renewable natural gas and renewable hydrogen are happening now: Two renewable energy projects are already underway in Lane County. Go to engagenwnatural.com for more information. The commitment of council members to their constituents is important, given the serious and immediate issues at hand – homelessness, affordable housing, a mental health crisis and public safety concerns. But they are pressured weekly by activists demanding policies that polling shows are not representative of the community’s desire for a diversified energy system. For example, in a recent survey of Eugene by the respected and nonpartisan firm DHM Research, 75% of voters believe “families and businesses should have a choice of energy options to meet their needs and not have their choices mandated by their local government.” If you agree, please share your thoughts directly with city decision makers by emailing them at mayorcouncilandcitymanager@eugene-or.gov, or go to engagenwnatural.com. You’ll find more information, as well as other convenient ways to make your voice heard. We believe working together is the best approach. We can set a course of action that achieves our renewable energy future without sacrificing affordability, reliability – or choice. As one of the oldest companies in the Northwest, we’ve been a critical part of our communities for more than 160 years. We provide warmth and comfort to more than 2.5 million people every day. And we do it reliably, safely and affordably – consistently posting among the strongest customer satisfaction scores in the West, according to J.D. Power. https://www.oregon.gov/deq/aq/programs/Pages/GHG-Inventory.aspx https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Pages/Electricity-Mix-in-Oregon.aspx 3 https://www.eia.gov/state/print.php?sid=OR 1 2 E U G E N E W E E K LY . C O M T h i s w a s n o t p a i d f o r b y N W N a t u r a l c u s t o m e r s . J U N E 2 , 2 0 2 2 25
