Electricity is the most clean and secure form of energy, and in the future it will become even more central to the energy system. The second electricity revolution has begun with full electric buildings, where all energy needs are met with heat pumps, electric radiators, electric ovens and hobs, electric water heating and air conditioning.
Through its subsidiary Chilectra, Enel has carried out such a project in Chile with construction and real estate firms, constructing residential buildings that are designed not to use gas for any purpose. That means that there are no pipes, no connections to the gas network, no boilers or ventilation ducts. Instead their roofs have solar panels which when combined with electricity storage systems, ensure energy supplies even when there is a blackout or network disruption.
The first and most obvious advantage is that there is no risk of gas leaks, improving the safety of the buildings and benefiting the health of their inhabitants. Meanwhile, avoiding the use of gas pipes and ventilation ducts and by applying modern efficiency techniques could lead to savings in the construction phase of up to 30 percent, while also saving space that can be used in other ways.
Customers benefit by their being a single supplier and a single bill, while also cutting the time and expense needed for regular checks on the safety of gas, boiler maintenance and the heating circuit.