Basics of Electricity

Units of Electricity Electricity Grid  The most basic units in electricity are: Voltage (V): Measured in volts, voltage relates to the pressure of electric flow. Current (I): Measured in amps, current can be viewed as the amount of electricity flow Resistance (R): Measured in ohms, resistance, as the term implies, addresses the amount of constraint on the flow of electricity These units are...

Low-Income Residential Electric Customers

Unpaid Electric Bills – A Growing Problem Collecting unpaid electric bills has become a major and growing challenge to electic utilities as the number of low or no-income customers grows with changing economic conditions. Since 2006, utilties have seen a 70 to 80 percent increase in their uncollectible receivables, requiring the industry to implement programs that rely on the collaboration...

Programmable Controllable Thermostats (PCT)

Programmable Controllable Thermostats (PCT), typically key elements to any energy efficiency initiatives, allow customers to save energy and money by offering programmed settings to regulate temperature, be it winter or summer, day or night. Studies indicate that the average annual energy bill for a typical household totals $2,200, half of which goes to heating and cooling the premises. Properly...

Broadband Communications and the Smart Grid

Smart Grid and the Need for an Improved Communications Infrastructure Electric Grid The U.S. electric grid consists of over 200,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and more than 6 million miles of distribution lines that serve over 100 million customers (283 million people). Electricity usage continues to grow and it now represents over 40 percent of overall energy consumption in the...

Energy Efficient Dishwashers

Advanced Technology uses Less Water and Energy The consumer appliance market is flooded with improved dishwasher models that apply advanced technology to clean dishes while using less water and energy. These technologies include Soil sensors that can actually test the cleanliness of dishes throughout the wash cycle and adjust the cycle to maximize cleaning while minimizing water and energy...

Energy Efficient Refrigerators

With recent improvements in insulation and compressors, refrigerators in general are much energy efficient. Consumers can realize further savings in energy consumption and costs with the purchase of an ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator: Per U.S. Department of Energy requirements, to receive the ENERGY STAR label all refrigerators and freezers must be at least 20 percent more efficient than the...

Hybrid Cars and Solar Power

Hybrid electric cars try to save energy and reduce emissions wherever  possible while the car is running. Fuel efficiency is achieved when a vehicle is stopped, decelerating, or moving slowly in traffic because the gasoline engine switches off and an electric motor (which creates little or no emissions) switches on. The gasoline engine reengages only as the driver requires more power to reach...

Geothermal Heat Pumps Have Lower Lifecycle Costs

Geothermal Heat Pump Qualified geothermal heat pumps have traditionally used 30 percent less energy than standard heat pumps, but with the recently developed ENERGYSTAR specification that went into effect in December 2009 the efficiency should improve to 45 percent. Though more expensive to purchase than standard options, the difference will most assuredly by paid back over time through reduced...

Engaging Customers in Energy Efficiency

Improved Energy Efficiency Requires Changes in Customer Behavior Energy Efficiency: LED Light “Training” residential customers to change their behavior with respect to electricity consumption remains a major challenge to the electric industry in its efforts to achieve goals related to improving energy efficiency and reducing peak load demand. Technology advancements are just beginning to...

Energy Efficiency: Home Electronics

Home electronic products that have earned the ENERGY STAR designation use less energy to support the typical standby power modes inherent to home electronics (e.g. clock displays and remote controls). These more efficient designs equate to approximately $100 of savings in annual energy bills for a typical U.S. household. Summary of ENERGY STAR Home Electronics The following table summarizes the...