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...

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...

Smart Grid or Smart Meters?

Is Installing Smart Meters Smart? Smart Meter There is tremendous momentum driving the installation of Smart Meters across the U.S. as well as other international markets (e.g. Victoria in Australia, New Zealand and China). State laws (e.g. Pennsylvania Act 129 signed in October 2008) have been enacted to compel electric utilities to develop smart meter based solutions to support energy...

Smart Grid and AMI – Leading to Smart Appliances

As advanced metering installations are developing throughout the U.S., industry attention is now shifting to understanding and encouraging the actions and technologies necessary for customers to capture the promised benefits of Smart Grid and AMI. This customer focus will logically include the system’s ability to communicate with numerous household appliances. Like many of the challenges...