Daily Junction.mobi portal<p>That phrase “home-grown” is the third reason, and the one that finally motivated European politicians to commit to change. Molecules must come from somewhere, and for Europe that mostly means abroad; anyone who watched their bills after the 2022-23 <a href="https://www.iea.org/reports/gas-market-lessons-from-the-2022-2023-energy-crisis/policy-response-to-the-crisis">gas crisis</a> knows how much that dependence costs. </p>
<p>Electrons can be made at home, from our own wind, sun and water. The European Commission estimates that its plan could cut gas imports by more than 70% and shave up to <a href="https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/eus-energy-system/electrification_en">€260 billion</a> a year off Europe’s fossil fuel import bill by 2040. After which, the prices can be set by the EU’s own investment decisions, not by wars on the other side of the world.</p>
<h2>Everything must work together</h2>
<p>The final reason is the benefits from energy-efficient homes. It is now four years that I have been monitoring Irish social housing – a mix of new apartments and older dwellings that had a deep energy retrofit (a comprehensive, whole-building upgrade to radically improve energy efficiency). </p>
<p>My sensors record their electricity consumption, indoor temperature, humidity and air quality around the clock. The data shows that homes are more energy-efficient when different measures complement each other: insulation and the fixing of drafty air leaks, correctly sized heat pumps that suit the space, ventilation that keeps air fresh without throwing warmth away. </p>
<p>But even the best kit only goes so far. How we set the thermostat, use appliances, and time our energy use during lower cost off-peak windows matters just as much as hardware efficiency. Occupant behaviour alone can cause heating energy use to vary <a href="https://backend.orbit.dtu.dk/ws/portalfiles/portal/9903893/prod11341246329792.HB2012_ExtAbstract_RKA_nr_3.pdf">threefold</a>. This means that our daily choices can result in savings that <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/4/953">almost match</a> major technical upgrades (albeit delaying dinner and bath times isn’t a reality for <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/11/1944">families with young children</a>).</p>
<p>Smart meters make those choices visible. <a href="https://www.emporiaenergy.com/energy-monitors/">Home energy monitoring apps</a> make it easier for households to shift power-hungry chores to off-peak hours. Add rooftop solar into the mix, and buildings transform from passive energy consumers into localised mini power stations. According to <a href="https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and-updates/rooftop-solar-could-meet-40-eus-long-term-electricity-demand-2026-01-21_en">European Commission scientists</a>, rooftop solar on Europe’s 271 million buildings could meet 40% of the continent’s long-term electricity needs. </p>
<p>That is the quiet promise inside “electrons, not molecules”. It’s a system that’s immune to gas shocks that can continue cooling you through heatwaves. Europe has simply decided to make it everyone’s normal.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/288037/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p>
<p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lala-rukh-1518512">Lala Rukh</a>, PhD Candidate, Energy, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-galway-2699">University of Galway</a></em>; <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/atlantic-technological-university-5728">Atlantic Technological University</a></em></span></p>
<p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/four-reasons-why-fully-electric-homes-can-be-affordable-and-efficient-288037">original article</a>.</p> </div>