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Tompkins County pilot distributes induction cooktops to households, cites health and electrification benefits
Summary
Tompkins County officials described a Healthy Neighborhoods pilot distributing roughly 250 induction cooktops (163 distributed so far) with cookware to residents with gas stoves; preliminary survey responses are positive and staff are seeking to scale the program with state partners.
Tompkins County officials on June 4 described a pilot program that has distributed portable induction cooktops and compatible cookware to households with gas stoves as a low‑cost way to test electrification and reduce indoor air pollution.
Haley from the county planning department told the Planning, Energy and Environmental Quality Committee the program — run through the county’s Healthy Neighborhoods effort and funded by a $30,000 NYSERDA grant — has made about 250 cooktops available countywide and has distributed 163 so far. Recipients receive an in‑home indoor‑air assessment and training from Healthy Neighborhoods staff before equipment is left at the home.
The county is conducting six‑month follow‑up surveys to measure user experience and adoption. Haley said staff handed out 92 surveys and had received 52 responses, a roughly 56% response rate. Survey comments included praise for included cookware and statements that participants planned to buy full induction ranges after trying the units.
Committee members asked whether the program is income‑targeted; Haley said eligibility was limited to Tompkins County residents who currently have a gas stove, not by income. She said the pilot does not require recipients to return the loaner units; they are given to households to keep and may later be donated to thrift stores.
Supporters argued the devices can reduce indoor pollutants and the risks from open flames. "For participants, the impact is immediate and meaningful," a participant in the program video said, describing induction cooking as "fast, responsive, and easy to use." Committee members also noted safety and efficiency benefits — such as automatic shutoffs and lower burn risk for children and older adults.
Haley said the case study and survey results are intended to inform state policymakers and the Healthy Neighborhoods program about whether to expand induction cooktop distribution beyond Tompkins County.
The committee did not take formal action; staff said they will return with further updates after ongoing program evaluation and the state‑level discussions.
