Residential HVAC Energy Efficiency Programs

Energy Efficiency: Residential HVAC Electric utilities offer residential HVAC efficiency programs to encourage customers to acquire high efficiency central air conditioners (CAC) or heat pumps (HP) with SEER ratings of 14.5 or greater. In order to encourage participation and overcome cost barriers related to the higher incremental costs of more efficient equipment, electric utilities are...

Compact Fluorescent Lighting (CFL) Rewards Programs

Energy Efficient Programs: CFL Bulbs An Electric utility’s CFL Rewards Programs are used to encourage customers to purchase compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) instead of incandescent lamps. In order to encourage participation and overcome cost barriers, electric utilities are typically offering mail-in and point-of-sale rebates and markdowns (where possible).  The electric utilities typically...

Energy Efficiency, Energy Conservation, and Demand Reduction Plans

Electric utilities have shifted a significant amount of their resources and attention to implementing programs aimed at reducing energy consumption and lowering peak demand either in: Energy Efficiency-Demand Reduction: Smart Meters Anticipation of projected shortages in generating capacity because of the planned decommissioning of fossil or nuclear power plants or rapid customer...

Green Energy Sources

Environmentally friendly and non-polluting sources of energy are gaining a foothold in the international community’s efforts to plan for future electricity needs. Typically, the focus on green energy includes creating a renewable energy portfolio (e.g. bio-fuels, geothermal, wind, hydro power and its related wave and tidal technologies, and solar with some consideration for nuclear power) and...

An Introduction to Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs)

Compact Fluorescent Lights A fluorescent lamp uses electricity to excite mercury vapor. The excited mercury atoms produce ultraviolet light and cause phosphors to fluoresce (referred to as gas-discharges). While larger fluorescent lamps have been used for decades in the larger commercial and industrial buildings (the economics are compelling), the advent of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), also...

ENERGY STAR Program

ENERGY STAR Label The ENERGY STAR program was created in 1992 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the standard for designating consumer products as energy efficient. Products carrying the ENERGY STAR logo generally use 30 to 35 percent less energy than specified by federal standards. It has since been adopted as a standard in Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan and...

The Basics of Home Generators

Home Generators Defined A home generator, simply stated, is a device that supplies electricity to residential customers during power outages. It typically provides enough capacity to support the use of essential appliances (e.g. air conditioners, heaters, refrigerators, and lights). Home generators work by converting mechanical energy into electrical energy by creating an alternating magnetic...

Residential Photovoltaic Power Systems

Photovoltaic (PV) electric systems use solid state power inverters to convert DC voltage produced by PV panels (solar panels) during daylight hours into conventional residential AC voltage. Three Types of PV Electric Systems Solar Panel House These photovoltaic electrical systems can be categorized as one of three types: Stand-alone systems operate independent of the electric grid. Since the...