AS MASSACHUSETTS moves forward with its ambitious and important goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2030, the skilled plumbing and gas fitting industry has a crucial role to play.

The plumbing industry, elected leaders, private sector stakeholders, advocates, and consumers must work in concert to the greatest extent feasible if the transition away from fossil fuels is to be successful. Missing this opportunity to get everyone on the same page will result in delays and failures that will make attaining our goals difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.

The plumbing industry is responsible for the installation and maintenance of plumbing systems in homes and businesses. We have done the work and advanced the regulations that have given Massachusetts some of the cleanest drinking water in the nation. We are at the forefront of water conservation efforts. We install critical medical gas systems in hospitals and provide the energy necessary for many daily residential needs, including cooking and heat.

As we shift toward greater electrification, it will be important for the plumbing industry to adapt and evolve to meet the changing needs of customers. That is why we are already adapting our training and education for plumbers to ensure they are equipped to work with new electric-powered appliances such as electric water heaters and heat pumps.

While we make this transition, it’s important to reckon with the fact that the lion’s share of electricity in Massachusetts is still generated using natural gas. We must work toward diversifying our initial power sources that feed the grid while helping end-users and customers embrace more electric options. As has been shown, there is a long way to go before those alternative initial sources will be online at a scale that would keep the grid live. We can get there together, but it’s going to take larger collective public and private investments to make it happen.

To prepare for that transition, our industry is already working toward re-training our workforces, but we need support and partnership from the government and business community. Meanwhile, it must be kept in mind that the electric grid can easily be overburdened. We will quickly head in that direction if the transition is made too quickly and without proper planning, investments, and contingencies.

Moving too aggressively to “ban” rather than “plan,” when the percentage of renewables in our power mix is still too low, would impact union contractors that do the right thing by agreeing to fair wages and benefits – and would undoubtedly result in layoffs. This will in turn likely reap untold economic harm on many working class communities. Losing good jobs while we are trying to uplift underserved communities is a recipe for disaster. Many of these jobs are the surest path to the middle class and help to lift up our communities. We must ensure the transition offers workers not just a promise, but a plan.

When elected leaders talk about promoting wage equity and improving opportunity for all, but then implement drastic mandates – without a backup plan – it will inevitably harm the community and create more obstacles for advancement.

The government has a critical role to play in setting policies and regulations that support the transition to zero carbon emitting fuel sources. This includes incentives for homeowners and businesses to switch to electric appliances and heat sources, as well as policies to promote using renewable energy sources. The government can also play a key role in providing funding for research and development of new technologies that support the transition to zero carbon emitting fuel sources. The administrations of President Biden and Gov. Maura Healey are doing just that – and should be praised for those steps.

Nonetheless, as those investments take time to take hold, the rolling brownouts that we see in California and other parts of the country could happen here if we move too abruptly to wind down other fuel sources, especially as more Massachusetts drivers make the switch to electric vehicles. To avert energy disaster, we need to work together to ensure our grid is being powered by a sustainable mix of clean sources, while not being disproportionately supported by fossil fuels.

In 2021, natural gas accounted for two-thirds of all power generated in Massachusetts. Just 30 percent of the state’s power came from renewables, mostly solar. Despite our goals to fully transition to electric power, Massachusetts has cut its overall electricity generation by 50 percent since 2010. Coupled with the closure of Plymouth nuclear power plant and a lack of land for wind turbines, the need for clean alternative energies in Massachusetts has never been higher.

Collaboration and communication between all stakeholders is essential to achieve the desired de-carbonization of our power mix. As the skilled technicians and experts who have worked on the frontlines on these systems for generations, we want to educate legislators as well as the utilities, on the realities of transition efforts and how they will and will not work.

By working together to identify and address obstacles while ensuring consumer needs are met, we can successfully make the transition to a responsible and clean energy portfolio, but it cannot happen with the flick of a switch and will fail without a proper plan in place.

Tim Fandel is business manager for Plumbers and Gasfitters Local 12 in Boston and Andrew DeAngelo is executive director for the Plumbing Contractors Association.