In London the leading source of emissions is from heating and cooling our buildings. Both residential and commercial buildings predominantly rely on fossil fuels for heat, mainly natural gas. In order to achieve Canada’s and London’s net-zero target by 2050, everyone will need to switch what they use to heat their buildings. Some options include; electric, air source heat pumps, geothermal and passive solar design. Under the federal government, the carbon tax charge will rise to $50 per tonne of CO2 by 2022, (began at $20 in 2019 and increases by $10 per year until 2022), making natural gas less affordable. Electrification is essential to achieve net zero and keep money in London.
Locally, most people heating their homes use Enbridge’s services. You can log on to your profile and compare your gas usage month to month. You can also find out ways to reduce your natural gas consumption without switching entirely to electric. Find incentives and programs run by Enbridge here.
Stay tuned for a webinar on Renewable Energy for homeowners! The link to the registration page will be posted here.