Innovative advancements in electric appliances and equipment are making quite the transformation in today’s electric industry. Newer electric appliances and equipment are becoming quieter, better for the environment and more popular than ever with our members. Advancements in technology and battery power combined with decreasing costs are winning over consumers looking for comparable utility and versatility.

Donnie Spivey, CEO and Executive Vice President

Inside the home, consumers and home builders are turning to electric appliances to improve energy efficiency and realize savings. Whether a traditional electric stove or an induction stove top, both are significantly more efficient than a gas version of those appliances. That’s because conventional residential cooking tops typically use gas or resistance heating elements to transfer energy with efficiencies of approximately 32% and 75%, respectively (according to ENERGY STAR^®). Electric induction stoves, which cook food without a flame, will reduce indoor air pollution and bring water to a boil about twice as fast as a gas stove.

Robotic vacuum cleaners are also gaining popularity. How many of you would have believed me 10 years ago that you would have a robot traveling around your home and vacuuming your floor? I probably would have got laughed off the stage at the Annual Meeting! Fortune Business Insights attributes the growth and popularity of robotic vacuums like Roomba and Shark to a larger market trend of smart home technology and automation.

More tools and equipment with small gas-powered motors are being replaced with electric ones that include rechargeable batteries. In the past few years, technology in battery storage and power have advanced significantly. Hand-held tools with rechargeable batteries can hold a charge longer and provide users the versatility and similar performance as gas-powered tools. Whether you are a “do-it-yourselfer”, work in the building trades or are an electric lineman, national brands such as Milwaukee, Makita and Ryobi offer electric versions of their most popular products like drills, saws, blowers and other tools.

“A few years back, the list of new electric product categories that were available to consumers was limited—electric scooters, leaf blowers and vehicles.” Today, the number of innovative electrical products available is exploding.

Keith Dennis, an energy industry expert and president of the Beneficial Electrification League, notes: “A few years back, the list of new electric product categories that were available to consumers was limited—electric scooters, leaf blowers and vehicles.” 

Today, the number of innovative electrical products available is exploding. 

“There are electric bikes, school buses, pressure washers, utility terrain vehicles, backhoes—even airplanes and boats,” says Dennis. “With the expansion of batteries and advancements in technology, we are seeing almost anything that burns gasoline or diesel as having an electric replacement available on the market.” Something new on the horizon are autonomous lawn mowers (similar to the robotic vacuum cleaners) maintaining lawns and outdoor spaces. I look forward to sitting on the front porch, drinking an iced tea and watching a robot mow my lawn!!

Electric equipment requires less maintenance, and often the biggest task is keeping them charged. It’s quieter, so if you want to listen to music or your favorite podcast while performing outdoor work, you can; something that wouldn’t be possible with gas-powered equipment.

Another benefit of using electrical appliances is the improvement in the environmental performance of electric devices. The electricity is becoming cleaner through increased renewable energy generation, so equipment that uses electricity will have a diminishing environmental impact over time. Quite a hat trick—improving efficiency, quality of life and helping the environment.