Commercial and institutional kitchen operators are used to cooking with gas. Traditionally, it's been a fast, reliable, and consistent way to cook. Today, though, natural gas is becoming more and more regulated, if not banned altogether, and it's critical for Chicago's foodservice operations to understand the repercussions.
Even though natural gas regulations began in California, they are quickly spreading across the rest of the country. With a lot of professionals in the restaurant industry bracing for a complete natural gas ban, now could be the time to make the transition to electric commercial foodservice equipment.
California has already rolled out various rules and regulations that severely limit how natural gas can be used. For example, natural gas heaters, water heaters, and furnaces have been banned. New natural gas heaters will be outlawed by 2030, and the goal is to prohibit all natural gas appliances eventually.
Even though there might be some situations where someone cooking in California may still be able to use a gas stove, these natural gas limits will only expand. The goal of the gradual rollout is to give people time to adjust. Restaurants and foodservice operations that hang on to their gas stoves right now might have a harder time adjusting in the future.
Furthermore, even though California may have the strictest natural gas regulations, New York and Illinois are next. For example, New York City has banned natural gas hookups in new buildings. The goal of New York City is to become carbon neutral by 2050, which means severely cutting natural gas emissions. The new regulations passed the New York City council overwhelmingly, and that means that new buildings are not going to be able to use natural gas for heating or cooking starting in 2023. Even though old buildings may be able to use existing natural gas hookups, it will only be a matter of time before those are also banned. The new law estimates that more than two million tons of carbon dioxide will be prevented from entering the atmosphere by 2040.
Given that California and New York City have already imposed title limits and regulations on natural gas, Chicago will likely make similar adjustments to its approach to natural gas.
Because local restaurants and foodservice operations might need to make the transition sooner rather than later for whatever reason, it is critical to understand all of the options available. For example, Imperial offers a comprehensive package of electric cooking equipment, including electric commercial ranges, griddles, fryers, and convection ovens. Now, Jay Mark has stock of Imperial equipment in their warehouse, providing commercial kitchens with an affordable option for electric cooking appliances.
In addition to saving money and complying with regulations, there are other benefits of electric cooking ranges. For example, the drier heat provided by an electric range can help cook food that needs to be crispy. Furthermore, electric ranges do not require a gas line, meaning that they can be compatible with just about every other operation. Thanks to advances in cooking technology, it is not unusual for electric cooking ranges to heat up faster than a gas range.
Because more natural gas regulations are coming, restaurants in the Chicago area need to switch to an electric cooking range now. That way, they can stay one step ahead of their competitors and protect the environment.