Using Energy Wisely
Step ThreeThe third and final step in the Using Energy Wisely program might be the most important step for members that have newer homes built with good sealing methods and recommended levels of insulation. Step three, selecting energy efficient equipment and appliances, is mostly about convenience items except for the heating and cooling system.
According to a CNET News.com article by Alorie Gilbert, electricity used by consumer electronics has grown from 5 percent of residential electricity use in 1980, to 15 to 20 percent today. We’ve gone from no computers, cell phones, cordless phones or answering machines, DVD’s and game systems in 1980 to multiple computers and numerous quantities of other consumer electronic devices.
In addition to the increase in the number of consumer products, the size of many has also increased. In recent years, the cost of big screen TV’s has come down. Just a few years ago, most homes had nothing larger than a 27” set, today, most consumers have moved to 42” - 50” and larger sets. As the size has increased, so has energy consumption. Consumption has also increased with the move to plasma TV’s. A 27” digital tube TV uses 120 watts of power, a 42” LCD TV uses 264 watts and a 42” plasma TV uses a whopping 400 watts while a 50” plasma jumps to 480 watts. Rear projection TV’s seem to be the most energy efficient choice when looking for larger screen TV’s but suffer on the convenience of size and weight.
Even though consumer electronic use is growing and subtly adds kWh’s to the energy bill, the kitchen is still the most power hungry room in the house. Refrigeration, cooking, hot water and dishwashing are chores that take a lot of energy. Newer appliances are more efficient, but unfortunately, the largest energy user, the refrigerator, seldom gets totally replaced. It just gets moved to the basement or garage. That second refrigerator in the garage, being seldom full and thereby causing it to use even more energy, and being an older, less efficient model, can add thirty dollars or more each month to an energy bill.
You can reduce energy consumption in the kitchen by regularly cleaning the coils on the refrigerator, keeping them away from other heat sources (stove, dishwasher) and keeping the freezer section full.
Other ways to reduce kitchen energy use is by washing only full loads in the dishwasher and using the water pre-heat option (and thereby turning the water heater down to one-hundred and twenty degrees). Allowing the dishwasher to air dry is another big energy saver.
Although not in the kitchen, clothes washers and dryers can consume fairly large amounts of energy, depending on the family size and habits. Recent improvements in clothes washers and dryers have reduced energy use. One of the best improvements that did not add to consumer cost has been with detergents that improved cold water washes and rinses and eliminates hot water use.
Recently, many manufacturers have developed front load washers. These models typically use twenty-five to forty percent less water than standard top-load models by tumbling clothes through the water rather than agitating them. They have faster spin cycles that remove more water, shortening the drying time and saving energy. Even dryers are more efficient with many models having sensors that detect when clothes are dry rather than using standards cycles and dry times.
Heating and cooling is still the largest energy user in the home. With increased costs of natural gas and propane, heat pumps (both air-air and geo-thermal) offer the highest energy efficiency and lowest cost of operation. High efficiency air-air heat pumps have Coefficient of Performances ( COP) of 3 and higher, meaning for every unit of energy they consume, they produce three units of heat energy. Geo-thermal heat pumps, although more costly to install, have the highest efficiency of any heating equipment on the market today. Geo-thermal heat pumps have a long operating life, making them a very good investment for most home owners planning to remain in their home for extended periods.
Choosing energy efficient appliances and equipment for your home can help reduce your energy consumption and our nation’s growing thirst for energy. Sometimes the choice is as simple as looking at the wattage of the equipment and selecting the lowest wattage. Generally though, the decision is a lot tougher and needs careful consideration. When it comes to consumer electronics and appliances, the Energy Star Web site ( http://www.energystar.gov/) maintained by the U.S. EPA and Department of Energy is an excellent information resource. In addition to information and advice, the site maintains a list of Energy Star appliances and manufacturers. Before shopping for a new appliance, consider visiting this site and printing out a list of Energy Star models.
When selecting heating and air-conditioning systems, Egyptian Electric can be a valuable partner in your selection process. We use software programs that estimate the amount of energy your home needs to heat and cool. We can insert various types of equipment into the program and produce estimated costs of operation that can guide you in your decision process.
As our nation balances energy needs now and into the future with climate change issues, one thing is evident. There is no one single choice to be made. Instead, there are many decisions that have to be made along multiple paths. As we move forward together, our pledge to you, our members, is to help you Use Energy Wisely and to improve the quality of life for each and every member of Egyptian Electric Cooperative.