Category Archives: energy savings

Home Electricity Use in U.S. Falls to 2001 Levels

Posted on January 28, 2014 | Leave a comment

The average amount of electricity consumed in U.S. homes has fallen to levels last seen more than a decade ago, back when the smartest device in people’s pockets was a Palm pilot and anyone talking about a tablet was probably an archaeologist or a preacher.

Because of more energy-efficient housing, appliances and gadgets, power usage is on track to decline in 2013 for the third year in a row, to 10,819 kilowatt-hours per household, according to the Energy Information Administration.

That’s the lowest level since 2001, when households averaged 10,535 kwh. And the drop has occurred even though our lives are more electrified.

Here’s a look at what has changed since the last time consumption was so low.

Better homes

In the early 2000s, as energy prices rose, more states adopted or toughened building codes to force builders to better seal homes so heat or air-conditioned air doesn’t seep out so fast. That means newer homes waste less energy.

Also, insulated windows and other building technologies have dropped in price, making retrofits of existing homes more affordable. In the wake of the financial crisis, billions of dollars in Recovery Act funding was directed toward home-efficiency programs.

Better gadgets

Big appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners have gotten more efficient thanks to federal energy standards that get stricter ever few years as technology evolves.

A typical room air conditioner — one of the biggest power hogs in the home — uses 20 percent less electricity per hour of full operation than it did in 2001, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

Central air conditioners, refrigerators, dishwashers, water heaters, washing machines and dryers also have gotten more efficient.

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Still on the Fence About Solar? Sweeping Changes Sought for Electricity Bills

Posted on January 17, 2014 | Leave a comment

For most Californians, electricity could soon cost different amounts at different times of day.

And their utility bills could rise as a result.

California energy regulators have proposed a set of sweeping changes to the way most of the state’s residents pay for power. The current system, in which electricity prices are based on the amount used, would be fundamentally altered by 2018, under the proposal issued this week by the California Public Utilities Commission.

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Standard residential rates would vary by time of use, encouraging Californians to conserve during afternoons when demand on the state’s power grid hits its peak. State officials and energy economists have long pursued the idea, seeing it as a way to avoid building more power plants.

“The system is designed for the absolute maximum demand – and then some,” said James Fine, senior economist at the Environmental Defense Fund. “Having less demand for energy at those times really saves the system a lot of money.”

Under the commission’s proposal, homeowners and renters who prefer to stick with flat rates would still have that option. But the flat rates would change, with people using the least electricity paying more than they do today, while people who use the most would pay less.

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Is Going Solar an Investment?

Posted on January 16, 2014 | Leave a comment

San Diego County is the hottest solar power market in the nation right now, with about 1,000 homes lighting up new systems each month.

Based on my hard-nosed analysis, solar is a fair-to-good investment for most homeowners who pay $175 or more each month on just the electricity portion of their bill from San Diego Gas & Electric Co.

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Definition of “good” is a return on my solar investment within shouting distance of 10 percent, given that cash pays a paltry 0.1 percent in a money market.

Like any investment, there are risks. In the case of home solar, the greatest risk is that state or federal policymakers will eventually reduce the financial incentives.

Of course, there are compelling environmental and national-security benefits that go beyond the risk-return trade-offs.

Once installed, solar provides decades of pollution-free power. Moreover, if you drive an electric car, you can take comfort that you’re not buying oil from anti-U.S. regimes.