Why Electrify?

The transition to all-electric heating and cooling will cost-effectively bring many benefits to Denverites.

Heat Pumps Provide Air Conditioning

Approximately 30% of Denver homes do not have air conditioning, primarily older homes and most homes in low-income communities. As temperatures rise, more residents will need air conditioning to stay healthy and safe. Transitioning to all-electric heat pumps, which provide both heating and cooling, is an efficient investment to help these residents stay cool in hotter summers and warm in colder winters. With the increase in air pollution from intense and frequent wildfires, traditional methods of cooling homes, like opening windows overnight or using swamp coolers, are no longer healthy options.

Heat Pumps Improve Safety

In 30% of low-income homes in Denver today, gas equipment fails carbon monoxide tests, compared to less than 5% of market rate homes. Residents of homes with gas appliances have nearly three times the rate of asthma compared to homes with electric appliances.

Heat Pumps Reduce Climate Impacts

Methane, the primary component of natural gas, is released when we use gas and has an 80 times greater impact on climate change than carbon dioxide emissions. A new report from the UN states that reducing methane emissions now will result in noticeable climate benefits in the next 10 years.

As the grid moves to 100% renewable power, electric renewable heating and cooling is the clear path to reducing these emissions generated by homes and buildings. Thanks to Xcel Energy’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the electric grid by 80% by 2030, the emissions from burning gas in buildings will overtake the emissions from delivered electricity as early as 2028.
Today, replacing gas appliances with heat pumps will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Fossil gas burned to heat our homes and buildings results in 24% of Denver’s greenhouse gas emissions.
97% of gas is used for space and water heat in homes and buildings.

Heat Pumps are Cost Effective

When a furnace, A/C compressor, or hot water heater fails, most homes and buildings can replace it with an electric equivalent at a similar cost to gas for both installation and operation.
Heat pumps will have a lower monthly bill than a traditional A/C system because they are so much more efficient, keeping homes comfortable during heat waves and grid stress events (brown-outs and black-outs).
Under existing electricity and gas rates, 66% of homes, 69% of multifamily units, and 49% of commercial buildings in Denver can be fully electrified when existing systems reach their end of life, while keeping construction costs and annual utility bills within 10% of gas equipment.
As Denver begins to electrify space and water heat, and technology continues to advance, renewable heating and cooling should cost the same or less than gas heating and cooling.
Renewable heating and cooling moves towards stable long-term utility costs because electricity prices are more stable than gas prices in both the short and long term.
It will take 30 years to fully transition current gas-fired space and water heating to electric.

Heat Pumps Provide Reliable Heat.

Heat pumps have been used since the 1800s in American refrigerators, and for decades to heat homes and buildings in Asia and Europe.
Natural gas furnaces also do not work when the power is out because they use an electric starter to ignite and require an electric-powered fan to move heat through the home.
Cold climate heat pumps can provide heat efficiently even when outside temperatures reach as low as -17 degrees Fahrenheit.
Denver’s approach won’t apply to diesel-powered emergency generators, like those used in hospitals and healthcare facilities.

Learn More about Heat Pump Types