NEW YORK (AP) – For many years, Ed Yeaker, treasurer of a New York City cooperative, and fellow board members have dealt with gas leaks. That means the gas throughout the building is closed, and residents will not be able to use the stove for several months until expensive repairs are made to the gas line.
So when Yaker learned of a California startup called Copper, which made electric stoves and ovens that could connect to regular outlets, it was all. The refined standard 4 burner electric induction stove runs at 120 volts. This means you don’t have to pay thousands of dollars to a licensed electrician to rewire to the 240 volts that many electric stoves need.
In terms of “Is this the way to go?”, Yaker said, showing quarts of water boiling in about two minutes. His apartment was full of books, much of it being about energy and climate change, and energy efficiency was also motivating.
Ed Yeaker will boil water in a copper stove, an electric induction stove, in New York on February 10th, 2025. (AP Photo/John Minkiro)
Next, there are health benefits of cooking on electricity. The gas stove, used by 47 million Americans, releases contaminants like nitrogen dioxide, which are associated with benzene, which causes asthma and cancer.
“You don’t stand on the tail of a car that breathes through the exhaust from that car. “You’re not standing on the tail of a car that breathes through its exhaust,” says Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist and lead author at Stanford University. study Regarding contamination from gas cooking.
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“I had a gas stove until I started this series of research. Just seeing the contaminant levels rise quickly with every time I turned on the burner or the oven on, was enough to switch to an electric stove,” he said.
Induction stoves are also a way to deal with the substantial amounts of climate change that comes from buildings. Exhaust from cooking, Heating and cooling living space And hot water.
In the case of a gas stove, about half of the heat from the flame escapes into the room. By comparison, electric stoves are up to 80% more efficient. Of this, the induction stove will only heat when the surface is in contact with the pot, so it will come up above with an efficiency of up to 90%.
Whether the gas stove in your home is simply contributing to greenhouse gas emissions or not turned on. Jackson’s team discovered gas stove bleed methane, a major ingredient in natural gas. When it is turned off due to loose fixtures and connections between the stove and the wall. The climate impact of leaky stoves in US homes was estimated to be comparable to the carbon emissions from 500,000 gasoline-powered vehicles.
The stove includes a smart battery. This means you can charge when your electricity bill is low, allowing people to cook without generating peak rate charges.
New copper stoves aren’t cheap. Early adopters rely on government incentives to cover costs. When Yaker, who worked as a teacher and saved, bought him, it was $6,000, and the federal tax credit for clean energy appliances reduced it to $4,200.
Ed Yeaker, who owns a copper stove, an electric induction stove, appeared in his New York apartment on February 10th, 2025. (AP Photo/John Minkiro)
The manufacturer is currently under contract with the New York City Housing Authority to purchase 10,000 stoves, scheduled to arrive in 2026, at a top price of $3,200 each.
Eden Housing, an affordable, nonprofit housing developer, is hoping to remodel and buy more of the 32-sack building in Martinez, California, with copper stoves using state and local programs.
“It’s pretty cool, it looks nice and easy to clean,” said Jolene Cardoza of the new appliance. Her adult daughter’s asthma is stimulated by her old gas stove when she comes to bake, and she is pleased that the copper does not release any contaminants.
Other tenants found the transition to induction cooking to be more bumpy.
“I don’t really like the way I cook food in the oven,” said Monica Moore, who noticed the difference in texture of the cornbread. She is impressed by how quickly the water boils, but misses the food with the flames and says it’s a hassle to switch between bread along with something compatible with the induction stove.
However, for Jackson, the change is important.
“I think shutting off gas in our homes and electrifying our homes is one of the best things we can individually control to reduce our personal greenhouse gas emissions. I think it’s two places to start a car or home to reduce greenhouse gas footprint,” Jackson said.
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