Monday, December 12, 2011

Illinois Tells Utilitites to Prove Smart Grid Benefits or Pay

The Illinois state legislature recently passed a bill requiring utilities to prove they can deliver on the promises they made regarding Smart Grid projects in the state. It will still allow the utilities to add a $3 per month charge to consumers' bills, but if they fail to meet certain benchmarks in the areas of reduced outages, energy theft, and inactive meters, the state will assess them penalties. It also places requirements on utilities to reduce estimated billing by 90 percent, and bad debt and unpaid bills by $30 million. Failure to meet the goals established in the bill will result in financial penalties, including a portion of their profits. Illinois is the first state to tie financial penalties to Smart Grid projects and their smart meter systems. To read the full article, go to http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/illinois-to-smart-grid-prove-youre-worth-it-or-pay/

Cloud Computing and Energy Efficiency

I read an article this weekend discussing reasons that there has been a rising interest in cloud computing from businesses and why it will continue to do so in 2012. Of note in the article is the mention of energy efficiency being one of the drivers for the push to this technology.

"Energy Savings Power Better Business and the Greater GoodEnergy efficiency, especially a reduction in CO2 emissions reductions, will be a key imperative for many companies. In 2012, companies will take advantage of public-private partnerships to invest in everything from more efficient lighting to energy-efficient heating ventilation and air conditioning systems, to installing energy-efficient technologies.

It is also more likely that they will begin to investigate flexible computing models – like the cloud - that leverage on-demand capacity for peak loads, while powering down during periods of lesser demand."

-Source: Why Cloud Computing will come of Age in 2012 by David Howorth, Regional VP Verizon IT Services

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Tip of the Week 11-17-2011

It's important to install the proper type of light bulb based on the usage patterns. Compact Florescent (CFL) bulbs are not designed to be turned on and off more frequently than once every 3 hours and have the longest life when used this way. In fact, the life of a CFL bulb can be reduced by as much as 40% if they are turned on and off too often. LED bulbs by contrast can be turned on and off as frequently as needed without affecting the life of the bulb. In areas where the lighting is turned on and off more frequently an LED bulb is a better fit than a CFL, and in areas where the lighting is left on for longer durations either bulb would be appropriate. So, the next time you go to replace a bulb think about how the lighting in that area is used and with what frequency it is switched on and off. By doing this you can save yourself a lot of hassle and money.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Smart Grid: Boom times ahead for EE and DR, economists conclude

Some interesting news today highlighting predicted growth for the Energy Efficiency and Demand Response markets. A study conducted by a pair of economists concluded that the Energy Efficiency and Demand Response markets are headed for a boom that will last through the year 2020 and beyond. With the country's continued trend of growth in demand outpacing added generation from new power plants this isn't surprising. Combined with the increased costs of generation from renewable sources (solar, wind, etc.) prices are certain to continue rising which will lead businesses and consumers to seek out ways of controlling their energy usage and costs. It's good to see a viewpoint of those markets from a non-industry source especially one with such a bright forecast. For more details and a link to the study click on the link below.
 
Smart Grid: Boom times ahead for EE and DR, economists conclude

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

T12 Utility Incentives Ending Soon

Effective January 01, 2012 manufactures will no longer be allowed by law to produce T12 florescent bulbs. The electric utility companies have taken note of this change and many, including AEP Ohio, will discontinue providing energy efficiency project incentives for upgrading T12 fixtures and bulbs to more efficient products. If you have these fixtures or bulbs in your building now is the time to replace them before the incentives are discontinued. For more information on how to take advantage of these incentives and others like them, contact EZ-Integration, Inc. at (614) 495-3700 or visit our Web site at: http://www.energysmartpartners.com.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Tip of the Week 11-08-2011

In many states, including Ohio, businesses and home owners have the right to choose their electric service provider. Depending on location, electric consumption, and competitiveness in a market area consumers have the potential to save between 8% and as much as 30% off of their current electric bills. For more information visit the PUCO , Ohio Consumers Council , or contact us by phone: (614) 495-3700 or email: info@energysmartpartners.com

Monday, November 7, 2011

Is your home ready for winter?

We are used to checking the tires, batteries, windshield wiper blades, and getting our cars in for service appointments to prepare them for the cold winter months. It's a knowledge that is passed along from generation to generation or in some cases auto mechanic to car owner. It's been ingrained into us how important it is to winterize your car every year. But did you know that it's important to winterize our homes as well? You could save a significant amount money on winter energy bills by taking the right steps. To get started, here's an article from Inhabitat containing a list of 10 steps you can take to help make your home more energy efficient this winter. http://inhabitat.com/10-easy-tips-to-cut-your-home-energy-bill-this-winter/

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Did You Know? 11-03-2011

You can report your own electric meter reading to the utility each month. Your monthly electric utility bill isn't based on an actual meter reading every month. Actual meter readings are not performed every month unless there is a smart meter installed at your location. The mechanical electric meters that have been used for decades require a utility to send out a meter reader to your location to get a reading. Due to weather conditions and a variety of other circumstances the utilities are unable to send out a meter reader to check every meter each month. So, the utilities estimate your consumption based on past usage in those months. Sometimes the results are shocking when you get a large bill the next month in which an actual reading is performed if the estimate was inaccurate. Eliminate those shocking bills and report your own readings each month to ensure your bill is always accurate.