24 March 2022
March 24, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEHPBA warns that proposed bans on natural gas and propane would have a “profound impact” on life in the Northeast
Northeast Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association: ‘Consumer choices are at risk’ Appliances, heating systems, fireplace usage, even how we grill on July 4th will be disrupted by gas fuel bans.
Sudbury, MA – The Northeast Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association (NEHPBA) today warned that a gathering movement to ban natural gas and propane fuel in communities around the Northeast is placing fundamental consumer choices at serious risk - and threatens to disrupt household habits and traditions while imposing costly new rules on building construction.
“What does a ban on natural gas and propane in new housing development really mean? It means if you plan to build a new home that house will have: no gas stoves, no gas water heaters, no gas heating systems, no gas pool or spa heaters, no gas barbecues, no gas fireplaces, and no gas fire pits.” said Joel Etter, President of NEHPBA and Senior Wholesale Account Manager for Hearth & Home Technologies. “If you look deeper at these proposals around the Northeast, you immediately appreciate the profound impact this policy can have on your day-to-day life. These policies will affect how you heat your home, the appliances you use, what goes in your fireplace, and how you grill on your patio and deck over the Memorial Day weekend, Fourth of July and during other precious family times.”
The Northeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association is a trade association representing more than 250 individual member retail and related companies throughout the Northeast. In just the states of New York and Massachusetts, NEHPBA has more than 140 members supporting over 900 families - the vast majority of which are independent “mom and pop” small businesses that are significant community contributors in the markets they serve across the region.
Proposed bans are also targeting new commercial and institutional buildings: most would prohibit new commercial buildings from using gas-fired boilers and halt restaurants from using gas stoves. Additionally: new health clubs, schools, and athletic facilities would not be able to heat commercial pools and spas with natural gas. Such restrictions would dramatically increase the cost of operations for all these types of facilities.
NEHPBA recognizes the changing landscape of the energy and fossil fuel industry. Its members are committed to working with government officials and regulators at all levels to increase access to more sustainable and climate-centric fuel sources throughout our homes and businesses. But a sensible long-term strategy to achieve responsible energy diversity must be the objective, as opposed to costly and damaging restrictions and bans that do little on their own to help reach our climate goals.
“Reducing dependence on natural gas will require an increase in electricity production because there will be a corresponding increase in demand for electricity. Unless that incremental electricity comes from specific sources, instead of reducing emissions gas bans can effectively just shift emissions from the building to electric generation sector,” said NEHPBA Executive Director Karen Arpino. “These changes would have a major impact on the most vulnerable among us. And unfortunately, this might be only the beginning. The next step will be for calls to retrofit existing homes and buildings to electricity at a potential cost of tens of thousands of dollars per household.”
More and more cities and towns around New England are considering proposed bans on natural gas or propane in new construction. The attorney general of Massachusetts has halted at least one local proposal because of doubts about its legality. Gas prohibition advocates, however, are also exploring ways to use state laws to accomplish a more broad-based ban.
“It’s likely that without expensive upgrades, the current electric grid may not be prepared to handle substantial electricity demand growth, which is exactly what would result from bans on gas and propane,” said Etter, the NEHPBA president. “Most importantly, these propane and gas bans take away consumer and business options and competitive pricing choices.”
About the Northeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association
Since 1985, the Northeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (NEHPBA) has represented the interests of the hearth industry in the Northeast. NEHPBA was originally incorporated in January 1985 as the Northeast Solid Fuel Alliance (NESFA) in recognition of the unique demands of business in the Northeast. In June of 1992, NESFA members voted to become the first affiliated member of the national Hearth Products Association (HPA) and became the Northeast Hearth Products Association (NEHPA). In 2002, NEHPA became the Northeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (NEHPBA) in conjunction with the merger of the national HPA with the Barbecue Industry Association to become the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), thus recognizing the diversification of the modern industry. The NEHPBA name has remained since 2002.
6 August 2020
August 6, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEHPBA: Preserving access to natural gas and other fuel sources is critical for emergency readiness in major weather events
Sudbury, MA – The Northeast Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association today said that widespread power outages being experienced across New England highlight the critical nature of energy diversity and the risks of over-dependence on electric power for household and commercial heating, cooking and cooling.
More than 220,000 households were without power in Massachusetts following Tropical Storm Isaias late Tuesday night, while approximately 50,000 lost power in New Hampshire. Rhode Island reported over 100,000 households without power after the storm, and a staggering 700,000 homes were still without power Thursday morning across Connecticut, leaving work crews scrambling to restore service and state officials furious at utility response times.
“Tropical Storm Isaias is a summer weather event, but it’s a vivid illustration of how huge sections of the power grid can be knocked out in a matter of minutes at any time of the year,” said Joel Etter, President of NEHPBA and Senior Wholesale Account Manager for Hearth & Home Technologies. “Winter Nor’easters, blizzards and ice storms are something we are all too familiar with in New England. When the grid goes down in those conditions, over-reliance on electric power can be dangerous.”
NEHPBA is part of a cross-section of industry associations and advocates fighting to maintain energy diversity in the marketplace – as special interests support initiatives to ban natural gas, complicate regulations around propane and wood-burning fuel products and limit choices for home-heating systems. The industry is working together with other businesses as well as consumers to ensure natural gas continues to be available in New England and the Northeast as part of a complete range of energy choices.
Banning new natural gas connections or curbing existing use dramatically will hurt Americans when costs of living are already high. The over-reliance on electric power for heating and cooking exposes households to higher risks when major weather events knock out the grid.“New England households need diverse energy choices to maintain financial stability, and to protect families when the region’s electric power infrastructure sustains massive failure– as we are seeing today,” said Karen Luther, Executive Director of NEHPBA. “It happens in the summer and it happens in winter. It happened this week and it will happen again.”
About the Northeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association
Since 1985, the Northeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (NEHPBA) has represented the interests of the hearth industry in the Northeast. NEHPBA was originally incorporated in January 1985 as the Northeast Solid Fuel Alliance (NESFA) in recognition of the unique demands of business in the Northeast. In June of 1992, NESFA members voted to become the first affiliated member of the national Hearth Products Association (HPA) and became the Northeast Hearth Products Association (NEHPA). In 2002, NEHPA became the Northeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (NEHPBA) in conjunction with the merger of the national HPA with the Barbecue Industry Association to become the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), thus recognizing the diversification of the modern industry. The NEHPBA name has remained since 2002.
29 July 2020
With hot and humid conditions enveloping New England, demand for electricity across the region hit its highest level so far this year at about 6:30 p.m. Monday.
This year’s peak experience in many ways highlights how the regional power grid is changing and how far it has to go to fully decarbonize.
ISO New England, the organization that oversees the regional power grid, had forecast this summer’s peak usage would hit 25,500 megawatts between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Actual usage came in at 24,736 megawatts, more than 300 megawatts higher than last year’s peak but nearly 1,600 megawatts lower than 2018.
The all-time peak usage in the region was 28,130 megawatts on August 2, 2006. Peak usage has been stagnant or dropping in recent years, primarily due to energy efficiency efforts that have helped curb overall electricity demand by 3,300 megawatts and small-scale solar and wind installations that reduce demand for power from the grid.
COVID-19 is also playing a role this year. Energy usage appears to be higher in residential homes as more people stay at home but lower in commercial and industrial facilities. Overall, ISO New England estimates, COVID-19 has cut energy demand by 3 to 5 percent.
Peaks have out-sized importance because the region needs enough power plants to meet demand when demand is at its highest point. Lowering the peak is beneficial since it means the region can get by with fewer power plants.
Peaks used to occur in the afternoon, when temperatures hit their highest levels and air conditioners are going full tilt. But the deployment of solar panels on roofs across the region has pushed the peak into the early evening. During the afternoon, the behind-the-meter solar installations produce the most power. As the sun begins to set, however, solar power production falls off and the region becomes more and more dependent on large-scale power generators.
There is lots of talk on Beacon Hill about going 100 percent renewable, but Monday’s peak experience illustrates how far the region has to go. The regional power grid handled Monday’s surge in electricity demand easily, but in doing so it relied primarily on power generated by natural gas (70 percent), nuclear (16 percent), hydro (8 percent), renewables (5 percent), and even a bit of oil and coal. The oil and coal plants tend to come online only when demand is at its highest.
Most energy analysts want to decarbonize the economy using electricity. Cars and trucks, for example, would shift from gasoline to electricity. Electricity would also be used for heat and hot water in homes and commercial buildings. Brookline took a step in this direction recently by approving a bylaw banning pipes carrying natural gas and oil in all new construction. Attorney General Maura Healey, while sympathetic to the bylaw’s intent, rejected the measure because it conflicted with three state laws.
If the region’s power grid doesn’t go green, the shift to electricity won’t pay many environmental dividends. That’s why the state is pursuing the purchase of offshore wind and hydro-electricity from Canada, to help reduce reliance on natural gas and other fossil fuels.
As of Tuesday morning, however, the power grid was relying most on natural gas. According to ISO New England’s real-time information, the grid’s power was coming primarily from natural gas (74 percent), with the balance from nuclear (19 percent), renewables (5 percent), and hydroelectricity (2 percent).
Commonwealth Daily Download, By Bruce Mohl
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