Asheville – The knowledgeable and fun-loving team at Electrify Asheville-Buncombe is collaborating with the City of Asheville and other stakeholders to achieve zero-emission goals by 2042. Their mission is to educate people about available electrification technologies, where to obtain them, their costs, and financing options. Recently, they have repackaged their services into a live, online navigator format.
It may sound trivial, but if you’re not on the path to electrifying your home, it could be because you lack a navigator. Nobody enjoys rising fuel prices, and even worse is the price volatility linked to the current unpredictable geopolitical climate combined with extreme natural disasters. Additionally, investing in electrical appliances does little good when home electric bills have doubled or tripled year-over-year.
Getting off the grid makes perfect sense, so you search online for prices on solar panels, only to find them out of reach. You hear about rebates and tax credits, but there are always strings attached. You don’t trust the oversimplified explanations found online, nor do you feel confident in your legal skills to interpret the enabling legislation. Moreover, you don’t even have enough time to manage your everyday responsibilities.
Sophie Mullinax of Electrify Asheville-Buncombe stated that the navigators, who are real people rather than chatbots, begin with a free online consultation lasting about 30 minutes. Interested individuals can sign up for a time slot at ElectrifyABC.com. She mentioned that it can be beneficial for people to speak with someone knowledgeable who can tailor product information to their specific home. During the initial interview, the navigator will help the homeowner determine how they want to electrify their residence. Mullinax noted that most plans progress in fits and starts, and the navigator can assist in setting priorities and timelines.
A common first step for many is replacing their gas furnace. The team at Electrify Asheville-Buncombe strongly advocates for heat pumps. These systems do not burn fossil fuels on-site and are more efficient than resistance heaters. They also heat, cool, and control humidity better than traditional air conditioners. Water heaters can also be replaced with heat pumps.
While no one has yet invented a commercial kitchen oven powered by a heat pump, Electrify Asheville-Buncombe frequently recommends cooking with induction stovetops. Mullinax remarked that they provide “a nice cooking experience.” Induction stovetops are 10% more efficient than ceramic models and 300% more efficient than gas stoves. They cook faster and more uniformly than other stoves; however, they require special cookware and have a higher upfront cost. Converting from a gas to an electric hookup also incurs significant conversion expenses.
The second step involves identifying and eliminating ways energy is being wasted. This could include inadequate insulation, ill-fitting window frames, leaving lights on, or not investing in efficient appliances. Mullinax pointed out that people often overbuild solar arrays, wasting money and resources if they do not complete these two steps first.
Whether someone is interested in a heat pump or solar panels, Mullinax stated, “They can connect to trusted contractors through our marketplace.” Let’s Go Electric, a listing of vetted contractors, is available via ElectrifyABC.com. Participating in this exchange is mutually beneficial, as builders can begin work more quickly when customers are already committed and know exactly what they want.
Before making a purchase, individuals will want to reduce costs. This is where an expert from Electrify Asheville-Buncombe can assist with “layering and stacking incentives and rebates.” It can be challenging to convince oneself that they’ve found the best deals while also ensuring which offers cannot be combined with others. Furthermore, legislators frequently change rebate programs.
Both state and federal governments, as well as utilities, offer rebates and tax credits. Mullinax highlighted loans available from the North Carolina Clean Energy Fund in partnership with Self-Help Credit Union. These low-interest loans are designed for homeowners earning less than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) with low credit scores.
Following the initial consultation, the navigator will prepare a preliminary report that includes estimated costs and payback times determined by the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Green Upgrade Calculator. Electrify Asheville-Buncombe is a pilot project of the City of Asheville and Buncombe County, in partnership with the North Carolina Clean Energy Fund, Self-Help Credit Union, Blue Horizons Project, and Let’s Go Electric.