Consumer Impacts of A Clean Energy Transition: Climate and health benefits from electrifying residential space and water heating

Meeting national and state decarbonization goals requires a transition to clean energy technologies. Energy efficiency, demand flexibility, renewable energy and storage can reduce consumers’ electricity bills, lower total electricity system costs, and provide health and resilience benefits. Berkeley Lab developed a series of briefs that explore these consumer benefits of a clean energy transition.

This report explores the climate and air quality impacts of residential electrification, considering the reduced residential emissions on one side and increased power sector emissions on the other (until the vision of a fully decarbonized electric sector is achieved). In this paper we address this trade-off, asking: In the contiguous United States, what are the net climate and health impacts of switching a portion (1%) of fossil fueled residential space or water heating to heat pumps?