Massachusetts Decides To Move Away From Natural Gas (Methane) For Residential Use

Steve Hanley  cleantechnica.com 

Excerpt.  

Massachusetts has become the first US state to begin phasing out natural gas as a residential heating source. The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities on December 6, 2023 rejected arguments from utilities and the gas industry that proposed the use of “renewable natural gas” and hydrogen as lower carbon alternatives to methane gas — popularly known as natural gas. Instead, the department ruled that the state should encourage a transition to using electricity for heating and other functions currently made possible by burning gas. The decision is part of the state’s plan to lower carbon emissions within its borders and to be net zero by 2050.

According to Inside Climate News, Massachusetts is the first state to take such a clear step to phase out natural gas, but it likely won’t be the last. At least 11 other states, including California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington — as well as Washington, DC — have ongoing regulatory cases that are exploring the future of natural gas.

Link to full article:  https://cleantechnica.com/2023/12/09/massachusetts-decides-to-move-...