Energy News: Not So Fast Berkeley, CA!

We’ve all read the headlines about California’s efforts to force the move to electric. There’s the push for electric vehicles by banning future sales of gas-powered vehicles, or the up-and-coming ban on gas lawn mowers, not to mention the increasing restrictions on home and portable generators; but is it true politicians are also banning natural gas for homes and restaurants? Yes, it was true for new construction, but if a recent decision tells us anything—not everybody sees a problem with natural gas whether you are cooking, baking, heating your home or backing up your home’s power.    

The City of Berkeley enacted a ban on natural gas in new construction in 2020, but recently the California Restaurant Association appealed the decision because they said that not only was natural gas best for cooking and baking, but the city didn’t have the standing to enact such a ban.

Then, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the city’s municipal ban on natural gas delivery and equipment in new facilities, making it possible to cook with gas and build new construction with natural gas appliances. Talk to any chef or baker and they will tell you—cooking with natural gas allows for more easily adjusted temperatures, dishes cook more evenly and it’s easier—basically the way they were trained.

The California Restaurant Association celebrated its victory and highlighted its view that natural gas appliances are crucial for restaurants to “operate effectively and efficiency.” This decision also means you could still have natural gas in a new build and rely on a natural-gas-powered home standby as CA’s power issues become worse and worse with growing demand.

“They allow for a wide variety of cuisines and innovations in the restaurant industry,” the association statement reads on the value of natural gas in restaurants. “Cities and states cannot ignore federal law in an effort to constrain consumer choice, and it is encouraging that the Ninth Circuit upheld this standard.”

The Ninth Circuit is headquartered in San Francisco, which is located near Berkeley. It is the largest of 13 federal appellate courts and hears appeals from numerous district courts in CA, AZ, AK, HI, MT, NV, OR, WA, ID and Guam. For now… folks in this CA city are celebrating, but they know the fight isn’t over.