Sonoma County has temporarily stopped enforcing its building codes that prohibit natural gas appliances in most new residential buildings. The decision came after a U.S. district court ruled that local ordinances banning the use of gas appliances are overridden by federal law.
Court ruling impacts local regulations
The county suspended enforcement of its building codes for all-electric buildings after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in April in California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley. The court found that the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act overrides state and local regulations that effectively ban natural gas appliances. Because of this, Sonoma County’s building code, which is intended to help meet climate goals, is currently unenforceable under federal law.
“As a result of the court ruling, Permit Sonoma has stopped enforcing building codes for all-electric buildings,” says Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “We continue to encourage new residential buildings to consider alternatives to fossil fuel-powered appliances, and we plan to revisit this issue in our next building code update.”
Transition to standards that favor electric vehicles
As Sonoma County considers its options, the focus is shifting to “electric preferred” efficiency standards. These standards do not outright ban natural gas, but encourage all-electric construction by requiring new homes to be as energy efficient as they would be if they used heat pump technology. This approach could make all-electric buildings more attractive to developers while ensuring compliance with federal regulations.
Infrastructure concerns and planning
It remains to be seen whether California’s electric infrastructure can support a widespread shift to all-electric homes. The state’s power grid, operated by utilities such as Pacific Gas and Electric Co., would need significant upgrades to handle the increased demand that full electrification would create. The California Energy Commission reports that while investments in clean energy have increased the share of non-fossil energy sources in retail electricity sales to 59% in 2022, the state still faces challenges in meeting its goal of selling 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045.
PG&E’s reliability and capacity are also under scrutiny. The utility is supporting the electrification of new buildings while navigating its transition out of bankruptcy and dealing with the vulnerability of its infrastructure to natural disasters and periods of high demand. There are ongoing concerns about whether PG&E can reliably and cost-effectively handle the required increase in power, especially given the need for significant investments in grid modernization and maintenance.
Economic and ecological impacts of switching to electric cars
It is not yet clear whether electricity or gas is more efficient. Providing electricity has its own carbon footprint, which makes gas more efficient in some cases. Which is more environmentally friendly, a gas or an electric stove?
Switching to an all-electric system raises cost concerns. Retrofitting older homes with electric heaters and appliances can be expensive, and the initial cost of efficient electric systems such as heat pumps is higher than that of traditional gas systems. The increased demand for electricity could also lead to higher electricity bills for consumers unless more renewable energy sources are brought online quickly.
As Sonoma County navigates these challenges, the debate over the future of residential energy continues to evolve and must balance climate goals with infrastructure capabilities and economic realities.
