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Electric Bill Savings--Now and in the Future
July 11, 2011
When you’re on a road trip, chances are your vehicle gets better gas mileage when you drive at a steady speed. Stomping on the accelerator burns gas more quickly than traveling at a measured pace. And if you do race down the road and happen to run out of gasoline, you might be forced to refill at a station with the higher price.
Similarly, when members of South Plains Electric Cooperative use electricity conservatively, the Cooperative’s wholesale price remains steady. When members all at once demand more power, such as on hot Texas afternoons when everyone blasts their air conditioners, the wholesale cost of electricity increases.
Those wholesale costs ultimately affect your electricity bill because South Plains Electric Cooperative has to take into account members’ demand—and subsequent increased cost to the Cooperative—when planning for the future. Also, if demand continues to increase, new power plants will have to be built. With increasing government regulation and high cost of materials, creating new sources of energy generation is likely to be expensive.
The cost of electricity, therefore, is partly controlled by members. Conserving energy remains the best way to reduce your electric bill—now and in the future.
But saving electricity does not mean you have to stop using your lights, air conditioners, TVs and washer machine. Members can reduce their electricity consumption by changing a few habits and taking advantage of energy-efficiency options.
One of the best ways to find out how you can more wisely use electricity in your home is to conduct an energy audit. South Plains Electric Cooperative encourages you to schedule an energy audit with a trained professional. Results of an energy audit’s examination of your home’s airtightness, insulation and the household’s energy-use behavior could reveal some cost-effective ways you could save money on your electric bill.
If you use an auditing firm, be sure to check the company’s references and inquire about any complaints with the Better Business Bureau. Also, you should stay with the auditor while he or she examines your home so you can learn or be available to answer questions.
If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can perform your own home-energy assessment. Go to www.TogetherWeSave.com for more information. You can take the Home Tour to discover no-cost and low-cost ways to save energy. There are energy saving applications offering easy-to-implement tips, plus watch and learn from the many how-to videos posted. The site actually calculates your potential savings as you choose the energy efficiency measures you’d be willing to take.
The U.S. Department of Energy provides details on how to conduct your own energy audit at www.energysavers.gov/your_home/energy_audits, including a description of how to do a basic building pressurization test to find air leaks. This thorough walk-through of your home to check for air leaks, proper insulation, energy-efficient lighting and up-to-date cooling and heating systems could give you ideas for how to save money on your electric bill.
Another good resource is www.hes.lbl.gov/consumer/, which allows you to input your home and then provides suggestions for savings.
South Plains Electric Cooperative is looking out for you with resources to make a big difference in your electric bill—now and in the future.