February 2009
Solutions to Using Electricity More Efficiently
by Keven Groenewold
Arriving home after a full day at work, most of us walk through a familiar routine. Turn on the lights and TV, boot up the computer, and head to the kitchen to start dinner.
We hardly take a step that does not involve the reliable flow of electricity. And every light switch or appliance we turn on sends the electric meter outside spinning a little faster and the monthly bill a little higher.
We often ask ourselves if there is anything we can do that lessens the pain at the end of the month. The answer is an emphatic, "Yes." It starts with learning all we can about energy conservation and efficiency. While they are not the same thing, they are close relatives.
We often ask ourselves if there is anything we can do that lessens the pain at the end of the month. The answer is an emphatic, "Yes." It starts with learning all we can about energy conservation and efficiency.
Conservation occurs when we reduce total consumption of electricity, often achieved by simply turning off anything that consumes electricity when not needed.
Energy efficiency occurs when we replace or upgrade the essentials in our lives, such as appliances, lighting, or insulation, allowing us to realize the same benefit with less electricity.
The average New Mexico co-op member already uses less electricity. But there are other ways to minimize the monthly energy bill. Many are very low tech options. These include weather stripping doors and windows; or applying a little caulk to those nooks and crannies in the home.
There are also some medium and high tech solutions. Replacing existing light bulbs with newer compact fluorescent bulbs, using programmable thermostats, or controlling some of your home’s electric load to only operate on off-peak hours, are all sensible solutions.
If you are curious about your energy usage, call your local electric co-op and ask for a complete energy audit to assess how much energy your home consumes, evaluate what measures you can take to conserve energy, and make your residence more energy efficient.
Then, with audit results in hand, take action. The cumulative effect of such small steps in homes and businesses will have a direct impact on our nation’s entire electric grid–reducing demand during peak periods, cutting emissions of greenhouse gases, and lowering overall costs to co-ops and consumer-members. Not to mention energy efficiency helps manage load growth and delays the need to build new electric generation facilities.
With the 111th Congress getting down to business and the 49th Legislative session under way, electric co-ops are working with public officials at all levels to identify and adopt achievable and balanced solutions to meet our future energy needs.
One of the quickest remedies involves embracing those "kissing cousins"-energy conservation and efficiency-and making them part of our daily routine.
Although energy consumption will continue to increase, by using electricity more efficiently, we can slow the overall growth for more power.
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