KarunaNews Story

Ed Yaker, treasurer of a New York City co-op with nearly 1,500 units, and fellow board members have dealt with gas leaks for years. But then he learned a California startup called Copper was making an electric stove and oven that could be plugged into a regular outlet. The four-burner electric induction stove runs on 120 volts, meaning there is no need to pay a licensed electrician thousands of dollars to rewire to 240 volts. The stove contains a battery that is smart, meaning it can charge up when electrical rates are low, allowing people to cook without incurring peak-rate electrical charges. Early adopters are relying on government incentives to defray the cost. When Yaker bought his, it was $6,000 and a federal tax credit for clean energy appliances brought that down to $4,200. Gas stoves, which 47 million Americans use, release pollutants like nitrogen dioxide even when they are not being used.