Health-e Communities

Ava Community Energy (Ava), formerly called East Bay Community Energy (EBCE), is your local, not-for-profit electricity generation provider. Ava is a Community Choice Energy Aggregation (often referred to as a CCA or CCE) program. State law allows cities and counties to pool the electricity demand of their residents and businesses for the purpose of buying electricity on behalf of those customers as part of a CCE program.

The goal of the Health-e Community program is to better understand the impacts to indoor toxicity levels by removing gas stoves from the kitchen.

Our plan is simple. We will replace your existing natural gas stove with a qualifying induction range at no cost to you, and we will measure changes to your indoor air quality.

Gas stoves are a leading contributor to poor indoor air quality. Scientists have long known that gas stoves emit dangerous indoor pollutants including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulates can cause or exacerbate respiratory problems.

Ava Community Energy launched this groundbreaking new program to help us study the effects of electrification on indoor air quality. You’re invited to participate.

Participants in our study will receive:

• FREE air quality monitoring. We’ll monitor the air quality of your home before and after installing your new induction range.
• FREE – a new 30” induction range or cooktop, including installation.
• FREE electrical panel/energy assessment.
• And, most importantly, a healthier and safer home.

To participate in the Health-e Communities study, you must be a customer of Ava Community Energy.

This program is open to renters and homeowners. The home can be a single-family home or a multi-unit dwelling with up to 4 units.

This is an income-qualified program. You must be enrolled in the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) or the Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) programs, or live in an affordable housing unit.

No, you must work with one of Ava’s trade allies for installation of the range and for any electrical upgrades that are needed. We will work with you to schedule the work at a time that works best for you.

30” induction range (slide in or freestanding), or an induction cooktop, 240V; 40 or 50 amps. Program participants can select a new range or cooktop from a list of supported models. Subject to availability, models may vary.

Ava Community Energy has partnered with Franklin Energy (Franklin) and the Berkeley Air Monitoring Group (Berkeley Air) to implement this study.

Franklin will manage this project, from the initial assessment through installation of your new induction range, and disposition of your old range. Berkeley Air will oversee the installation of air monitoring equipment, and at the end of your project you will receive a copy of your indoor air quality report.

Please contact Franklin Energy at 510-740-9010 or InductionInstallationServices@ae.franklinenergy.com for any questions regarding your project once an application has been submitted.

Induction is the most energy-efficient cooking technology currently on the market. Around 90% of induction heat reaches your food; far exceeding traditional gas or electric resistance heating. Learn more about the benefits of induction cooking.

To check if your cookware is compatible, place a magnet on the bottom of your pan. The stronger the magnet sticks to the bottom of the pan, the better the cookware will work with induction. Cast iron, enameled cast iron, and many types of stainless-steel cookware are all induction-compatible. Aluminum, all copper, or glass cookware will not heat up or turn on unless it has a magnetic metal layer at the bottom.

There are adapter plates that can be purchased separately for around $20 that can allow you to use non-magnetic cookware on induction stoves.