In Northern California, a New Pilot Program from Ava Community Energy Seeks to Better Understand the Impact of Gas Stoves on Indoor Air Quality

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Nov 12, 2024, 11:00 ET

The pilot program provides participants with free electric induction stove replacements for their existing gas stoves

OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ava Community Energy, one of the nation's top clean energy providers, announced the launch of its Health-e Communities pilot program to study the linkage between electrification and indoor air quality. Ava has partnered with Berkeley Air Monitoring Group and Franklin Energy to offer qualified low-income customers the opportunity to replace their existing gas stove with a free electric induction stove. Indoor air quality will be monitored before and after the stove is replaced, and the customer will receive a customized report on their air quality at the end of the pilot period.

"Berkeley Air is conducting evaluations across North America to assess how changes to indoor air quality are impacted by swapping out cooking appliances," said Berkeley Air Monitoring Group Managing Director and co-founder, Dana Charron. "We are excited to bring this field study home to Northern California, and to help more individuals understand how cooking choices may impact their health."

An estimated 70% of California households use natural gas for cooking, and studies have shown that the emissions from gas stoves may negatively impact indoor air quality. The Health-e Communities pilot program will replace qualifying Ava customers' existing gas stove with an induction stove at no cost. Franklin Energy will set up and install air monitoring equipment and Berkeley Air Monitoring Group will measure the changes to participants' indoor air quality before and after the installation. The study should take between six and ten weeks, and participants keep their induction stoves after the program's completion.

"We're proud to help extend the benefits of induction cooking to Ava customers," said Howard Chang, CEO of Ava Community Energy. "The Health-e Communities pilot is a win-win for Ava customers who can get a fast and efficient induction stove for free, and for Ava as we gather data on indoor air quality impacts that will help us plan future initiatives to further benefit our customers."

The Health-e Communities pilot program is open to low-income customers enrolled in the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) or the Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) programs or who live in an affordable housing unit. Interested applicants can enroll today at: AvaEnergy.org/health-e.

About Ava Community Energy (Ava)
Ava Community Energy is the not-for-profit public power provider for more than 1.7 million residents and commercial customers in Alameda County and the City of Tracy, with service extending to the additional San Joaquin County cities of Stockton and Lathrop in 2025. As one of 25 community choice aggregation (CCA) programs operating in California, Ava is part of the movement to provide energy choice while expediting local and state-wide climate action goals. Ava is committed to creating a brighter future in our communities by providing clean power at competitive rates, reinvesting in our member communities, and developing programs that make it easy for customers to discover, try and adopt clean energy solutions. For more information about Ava Community Energy, visit AvaEnergy.org.

Media Contact
Ava Community Energy
Mission Control Communications
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SOURCE Ava Community Energy