Posts Tagged ‘Energy’

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Top Ten Ways to save energy now….for pennies.

Saturday, June 5th, 2010

I know that I have posted many lists like this one, but as we enter into the hot season, it seems appropriate to remind everyone of some simple ways to save energy.  Here are my top ten.  These are my top 10, because they are simple, cost almost nothing and apply to nearly everyone.

1. Clean your refrigerator coils. Vacuuming the dust out of your refrigerator coils makes it run more efficiently and thus saves energy.  In the summer, your refrigerator will run more and hotter, so this simple thing will help make it run much more efficiently.  Check your seal around the door while you are at it.

2. Watch your water. Turn off the water while shaving and brushing your teeth. Gallons of potable water are flushed down the drain while we brush or shave. If you use hot water, it is even worse as you spend the energy on heating the water as well as the water itself.

3. Use light blocking curtains or shades, and close them during the day.  Simply closing your curtains during the day will help keep your home cool all day long.  Open them in the evening when you are home.  If you are home in the mornings, open the doors and windows and let the cool morning air in.  Once your home is cool and fresh, close it back up while you are out to keep the cool air in.

4. Turn your hot water heater down. I have incrementally turned down our hot water heater several times, and it is barely noticeable.  It is especially easy if you have a dishwasher, as that appliance usually heats up its own water as needed.  In the warm summer months, we take cooler showers anyhow, so even if it is just for the season, try turning the water heater down and save a few bucks on your energy bill.  Put insulating the hot water pipes on your summer “to do” list as well.

5. Check your weather stripping. Replace old worn out weather stripping to create tight seals around windows and doors. Keep the warm air out this summer and  inside this winter.

6. Carpool one day a week. Simple, but true. One day a week could mean a huge impact on your fuel costs. Don’t like to carpool? Try public transportation one day a week. Who knows, maybe you will see that it isn’t so bad-soon you can skip the fuel costs, the parking, the maintenance, just by using the mass transit system in your town.  If it makes more sense, ask your boss about telecommuting one day a week.

7. Wash your clothes in cold water. Clothes rarely get cleaner in hot water.  As a bonus “good for the earth” move, switch to a lower phosphate detergent and cut back on the bleach and fabric softeners.  If you are in the market for a new washer, be sure to look for Energy Star, and my front loader uses about a third of the water my old top loader used to use.

8. Switch out your incandescent light bulbs.  Nothing wastes so much energy as a bunch of light bulbs.  Most of the energy used by traditional bulbs in given off in heat and that is not what you need on a hot Cleveland summer evening.  Whether you prefer LEDs or CFLs, make the switch now and save yourself some bucks.  The long summer days mean you can change these out while it is still daylight.  I changed mine out several years ago and have not replaced a single one.  That alone has made them pay for themselves.

9. Put master strips on major gadgets and appliances. Nearly everything in our home is on a master strip.  It is estimated that home appliances use 75% of the energy that they consume over their lifetime, while turned off.  That “stand by” mode is costing you money.  Unplug your chargers when not in use.  Remember, they continue to draw energy even if your cell phone is not plugged in.

10. Get a programmable thermostat. If you have central air, why are you running it when you are not at home?  This simple $30 investment will pay for itself nearly overnight.  And they will save you even more come winter time.

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LED or follow?

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010

So much has been said about the Supu-Opto deal that is on the table in Cleveland. I wrote about this deal a few weeks ago, and immediately started to get some feedback online.  Now, Brewed Fresh Daily has had several interesting blog posts, one by Councilman Brian Cummings himself, who staunchly opposes this plan.  I was all for it, then after reading Councilman Cummings post, I started thinking a little more.  Then, I was asked if I would like to attend a briefing at Mayor Jackson’s office in City Hall.  I was so there!  The other folks in the room ranged the gamut.  The city departments were there, Sustainability, Economic Development, etc, as well as the reps from the utilities.  No discussion on sustainability would be complete without local architect Bill Doty of Doty & Miller, and Paul Volpe of City Architecture.  The rest of the room was populated by persons of various stature that i do not know personally, but many are respected leaders in their area (it seemed inappropriate of me to ask them to tell me their names again so I could blog about them).  There were regular everyday citizens in the room as well.

I attended to find out a little more and to raise some of the concerns that I had over certain aspects of the deal that have come to my attention.  First off, let me tell you that I am not one to just “drink the Kool-Aid” and agree with anything in front of me.  On first glance, the deal with Sunpu-Opto is innovative and bold.  On looking a little deeper, it seems there is more lurking below the surface and that many are opposed to the deal that the Plain Dealer has been reporting on regularly.  I left the meeting feeling like I was certain that this was a step worth trying and that there was indeed a chance for it to make a difference to the local economy.  So here are just my thoughts, coupled with the things I learned online and at the meeting.

The terms of the deal mean that Cleveland will be locked into a 10 year deal with a semiconductor and LED manufacturer that will establish its North American headquarters in Cleveland and will provide a minimum of 350 new jobs to the area within 5 years.  So where to begin?

Jobs: Proponents of the deal say that 350 new jobs will be created in the manufacturing sector within 5 years, starting with 50 in the first year and building over the next five years.  A headquarters will be established here for sales, followed by a manufacturing facility, and finally a research and development facility.  The biggest concerns in the room were the quality of the jobs, the free ability of the employees to unionize, and living wages.  Opponents to the deal say that the jobs will be low paying jobs, “phantom” jobs, or simply will not materialize at all.  The proponents at the briefing assured us that there were strict timelines written into the deal that must be met, or we were free of the contract.  I am sure that this is overly simplified, but my thoughts on this are simple.  When a workforce is out of work, any possibility of new jobs must be looked at.  Even if opposition is right and the jobs turn out to be low paying jobs, a city that is embracing gambling as a way to bring ANY jobs to the local economy needs to give them a shot.  Saying no to this deal means saying no to those who would be willing to take any job, even at minimum wage, to save their home and feed their family as the unemployment benefits run out.  In a time when even fast food is not hiring, any job is a good job.  The proponents of the deal say they will be good jobs, and I believe they have done their due diligence, but if I am wrong here, at least some jobs will be created.  At the same time, supply chain requirements mean that many local materials and companies could receive new contracts.  I lived many years in Seattle and the regionally economy ALWAYS benefited when local airplane manufacturer Boeing did well.

Technology:  The biggest concern about the products are tied to performance.  Will these LED lights be as good as the fluorescent technology that we are using today, and will Sunpu-Opto’s products be as good as someone else.  First off, the LED technology is a no brainer.  Yes, it is an evolving technology, and could easily improve in the next 10 years.  We in the room were reassured that if we found better pricing, better technology, or better products that Sunpu-Opto would meet those criteria or we would be free to source elsewhere.  There were concerns about UL and Energy Star ratings, and the products that we will spec will be rated by these systems before we buy them.  Just like buying a new cell phone or a computer, waiting for the newest technology is never a win, as something better is always just around the corner.  In the meantime, we are free to pursue new technologies and Sunpu-Opto is committed to exploring new products and technologies that we demand or we are free to source them somewhere else.

The Deal: The biggest lament about this deal is that it is being called a “no bid contract.”  I think this is misleading.  An RFP was issued.  I am willing to admit that the RFP was probably issued based on what the company promised to provide us before it was issued.  But when a company makes a promise (quote/deal/offer) as long as it is opened up to other companies to meet those same specifications then it cannot be called “no bid.”  GE and an Akron based company both said they could meet the requirements, but never said they WOULD.  If they had, there would not be this issue.  I am especially perturbed that the entire issue is being blown up by GE and their LAWYERS.  They are making the biggest stink and they are the ones who have closed their local manufacturing plants and moved many of those jobs overseas.  (In truth, this is according to one of the attendees who researched this on her own).  What I do know is that GE bulbs are not built here and that they have not pursued LED technology fast enough as their competitors.  The city (and its residents) will have access to manufacturer direct pricing, full replacement warranties, and a meet or beat pricing strategy on streetlights, stop lights, and LED tubes and Edison-type bulbs.  There is already a plan in place to test the stop lights and street light before implementation.  The products being offered are also a plug in to existing fixture type of replacement that other companies cannot offer.  If GE is so concerned, why do they not even make a sensible counter offer to establish a manufacturing plant here?  Green Mill Global says it will, but with tax incentives not purchasing contracts.  The beauty of this deal is that the city has the ability to use something that is has never used before to attract a new company to the region.  Green Mill Global is looking at Akron or Cleveland, and if we win, Akron loses.  On the other hand, if we bring Sunpu-Opto, Green Mill Global will likely establish its manufacturing plant in Akron and we are adding even more jobs to the region and promoting competition.  The term of the contract is ten years.  While this may seem like a long time, the average life on an LED bulb is 7+ years, so it is not like we will be replacing them all the time.

The Company: Okay, I have never heard of Sunpu-Opto before either.  Not a big surprise, because I don’t know the names of other semi conductor companies either.  They are established in China and just starting in North America.  They seem to have a good track record, but there are risks.  Any deal with a payoff is a risk.  I think the risk is lower here than in giving a single owner the exclusive rights to build a casino in the heart of downtown with little in the way of tax requirements and jobs guarantees.  And we voted for that to happen-and have already been told it is going to be delayed!

Sustainability: LED bulbs will use less electricity to operate, and thus lower our carbon emissions.  What does it cost the city to become greener?  With this deal, even if we don’t get the promised jobs, and the savings don’t stack up as high as were promised, we will still lower our carbon footprint and that has its own non-monetary value.  As a city, we are trying to change our reputation to being a cleaner and greener city, not the “mistake on the lake.”  Every step forward to boost our reputation in this area is a good one.  Every step in this direction means that we have more clout and more visibility, making us more attractive to new industry and companies looking for new locations.  Oh, and did I mention that this company is committed to refurbishing and reusing an already existing building in the city?

The city council is scheduled to vote on this issue TOMORROW.  I encourage all of you to call, write, or email your council person and give them your thoughts on this issue.  Time is of the essence.  While many have stated we need more debate, and more time, that is not an option.  This company is looking to move forward and is now being wooed by competing cities.  Will this be the next project that was talked to the point of just going away?  I hope not and I encourage you to contact your council person now and let them know how you feel.  So you know how I feel, how about you?

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Cleveland adds LEDs and JOBS!

Friday, May 7th, 2010

Interesting development in the world of international business and Cleveland:

LED bulb

Apparently, we are adding new and efficient lighting to our city, and with it, new jobs. Cleveland officials have been looking for ways to make this a cleaner and greener city. Mayor Jackson has often said that the way to revive our economy would be through greener technologies and new industry. So, I was thrilled to find out that we are taking a nice step forward in that direction. A new contract is in the works that could have HUGE impacts on the region. We are going to replace the lighting being used by the city with new LED lighting. This will reduce our carbon footprint by over 25,000 tons-in streetlights alone. In addition, it will save the city some big bucks on its electricity bill. The LED lighting in City Hall alone will add up to over half a million dollars over the life of the bulbs. We will have price guarantees that we will get all our products at or below the price of competitors. While this is all well and good, it is at this point that things start to get really interesting.

LED streetlight

The deal that has been penned will have impacts on the local economy. First off, we will be pursuing a company that is based overseas. While GE is right here in NE Ohio, they do not offer enough LED products that Cleveland needs. Instead, we will be buying from a company called Sunpu-Opto. The deal will include establishing a new US headquarters in Cleveland, and a manufacturing plant that will produce these products right here and put Clevelanders to work. In fact, they expect the hiring process to begin before the end of June and over 3-5 years we will be adding 350 jobs to the local economy. Of course, as LED technology spreads across the country, who knows how big the facility might grow. We don’t know just how big an impact this could have locally, as Sunpu-Opto has agreed to source as many parts and pieces as it can locally.

This approach is the most forward thinking that I have seen in Cleveland since we moved here a decade ago. Cleveland is not going to offer grants or tax abatements. Instead, it is going to use the time honored tradition of using its buying power to get what it needs. The city needs lights, and if they are going to switch to more efficient products anyway, they are going to use the contract that they pen to get jobs and industry right here in our economy. At the same time, we are leveraging our assets of low cost property and a strong workforce to entice a new company that needs a US headquarters. How long this has been going on behind the scenes, I don’t know, but I can’t wait to hear what is next! Here is a portion of the email that I got:

At last year’s summit, Mayor Jackson outlined the need to take bold steps to change the way we do business if we are going to take advantage of the sustainable economy. Over the past few months the City of Cleveland has been advancing a new business model that embodies triple bottom line thinking. We have outlined a path forward that will benefit the City of Cleveland’s economy, reduce its expenditures on electricity and reduce our carbon footprint by aggressively moving forward with an LED lighting program. We are doing this by utilizing the City’s purchasing power to push innovation towards the future.  Mayor Jackson has proposed a 10-year contract with Sunpu-Opto, an international company that creates LED lighting products.  Sunpu-Opto will make substantial investments in our local economy by establishing a U.S. headquarters in Cleveland and creating green collar jobs. This is an exciting step for the City of Cleveland and one giant step forward in creating an economic engine that empowers a green city on a blue lake.

To learn more about this proposal, go to LED Lighting Fact Sheet, Cleveland’s LED Lighting Initiative and LED Lighting Initiative Myths vs. Realities.

I want to encourage you to get engaged on this important topic and initiative. LED lighting is the lighting choice of the future and it is important that we move aggressively forward towards a path that will position Cleveland and our region to take full advantage of this new technology.

Then there is another little bit for us in Cleveland. Clevelanders will be able to buy these LED lights at the same price as the city does. That means that we can ALL start saving on our electric bills, just like Cleveland does. At the same time, we can lessen our carbon footprint and reduce our environmental impact. And as a final note, they are mercury free and the LED florescent tubes use recycled plastic. Good news for those of us concerned with mercury in the environment.

My hat comes off to everyone involved in this proposal, especially to Mayor Jackson and Andrew Watterson of the Office of Sustainability.  With this kind of leadership, we can truly become a successful Green City on a Blue Lake!

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TEDxCLE…Fuel Cells and the future

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

I have to preface these post with a shout out:  the images are from Kyle Roth, a local photographer who does beautiful work and who is a big champion of Cleveland, be sure to read his blog at North Coast Lifestyle and Epstein Design Partners.

Benson Lee of Technology Management Inc, took the stage for his talk, Solving Global Social Problems with Fuel Cell Technology. He started by talking about how fuel cells work. A 2 inch ceramic disc creates electricity through a chemical reaction. He held up a unit the size of a cell phone or pop can, that was a personal generating unit. Then he unveiled a home unit. The home unit fuel cell is less than the sizw of an AC condenser unit and will provide enough power for the average home. Being a clean energy source, they can be located inside a home. They generate heat as well as electricity and thus can serve two purposes at once.

Recently 60 MINUTES did a story on fuel cells. Technology Management, Inc is one of the top 12 manufacturers featured in this story. This is not really new technology, it has been around since the early 1800s. We have the problem in the US of not really understanding fuel cells, and thus we do not ask for them. Thus, they have not been really improved upon, as we had access to plenty of dirty combustion technology. THis lack of improvement has led to costs remaining relatively high, despite being 90% efficient.

Fuel cells still need fuel to make them work. What is great about them is that they provide clean, reliable energy production despite atmospheric conditions. And they will operate on a variety of fuels. Of course they will work with hydrogen, gasoline, oils, etc, but they will also work on the gas from an anaerobic digestor that can use organic waste (including human waste) as its basic fuel. There are also cheap reliable plants that are high in oil content that can be easily grown as a fuel source. The advantage of fuel cell technology is that you are able to generate power where it is needed. You ca provide lectricity in remote villages, without a huge power plant or miles of high tension power lines. This could allow use of electricity for health care in regions where some 228 infants die every hour from diarrhea. Reliable electricity could mean power pumps to make water safer. It could mean simple antibiotics in regions that lack refrigeration.

Technology Management is pricing them for the NGO market. Their aim is to make a living and make the world better. Partnerships with others makes for good finaincial returns. Through economies of scale, they can find ways to make fuel cells cheaper. If they sell to NGOs who can help the poor, then use their profits to train more NGOs to use them, they will only drive more need for them. Like crack for a better world. The best part is that nothing new needs to be invented. Fuel cells can make the world a better place by providing clean electrical energy in parts of the world where other forms of electricity simply cannot work.

Visit their site to find out more! And watch the video below to get a simple overview of how fuel cells work.

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A solution as simple as a sunflower…

Friday, February 26th, 2010

How do you get electricity to undeveloped places at a cost that makes it truly viable?  Sometimes the answer is not in a high tech application of newer technology, it is sometimes the answer is really far more low tech and genius in its simplicity.  First off, we put solar panels all over the place and to make sure that they are as efficient as possible, we have come up with a variety of technological solutions.  However, to make these solutions, you have to add thousands of dollars to the cost of solar power.  This starts to put it out of reach for many.  If you are living in an undeveloped country, then it is practically impossible.  We take electrical production for granted here in the US.  But in places like Africa, they often do not even have enough reliable electricity to power simple units that make it possible to operate hospital equipment or to keep blood or medications refrigerated.  Enter Chris Clark and his company Sunflower Solutions.

While in college getting his degree at the University of Miami Ohio, Chris worked with some classmates to create a way to power an electric well.  The plan was to help his buddies find a way to support developing nations who had little or no access to water.  His idea was the simple solar panel.  The problem with solar panels is not the cost in itself, but really the cost of making them efficient.  A stationary solar panel is far less efficient than one that tracks the sun.  The problem with the systems that track the sun is that they are cost prohibitive for most people, and for places like an African village, practically impossible.  Chris came up with an ingenious answer.  Figure out a way to make a stand for a portable unit that could be used by anyone, regardless of location and language barriers.

These solar panels together will generate about 16.8kwh, that is enough electricity to power about half of the average American household.  For a hospital in a developing country that means incubators, stable blood supplies, and medications that need to be kept cool.  For a school that means better food or computers to learn on.  For a village, it might mean a water pump for a well or irrigation for a dry field, providing food for those in need.

What makes them so productive is the way they can easily track the sun.  The complex calculations of the seasons, global positioning and time of day have been reduced to an easy to understand series of markings.  These units are designed to be portable, which means they can be deployed all across the planet and even moved to where the need is greatest.  The stands are also designed to be easily assembled and have few parts that are easily broken.  This means that when deployed to the middle of a country like Chad, that there is little chance of the unit being rendered unusable for long periods of time-a problem with some hi tech systems.  The simplicity of the design also means that you can train villagers to use the systems themselves and help to make them self sufficient.

So who are Chris’s clients?  He is marketing to charities and those around the world that are doing good works.  These are the folks who are already doing the work to help those in need in underdeveloped countries.  The units are fully customizable based on the needs of the client.  The price for one of these units ranges from about $10,000 to $14,000. The low tech solution keeps th price within reason, and allows a charity in Africa to produce a heck of a lot more electricity than they would otherwise be able to produce for their money.  It also allows them to ship them nearly anywhere and leave them to be operated by the locals.  What is amazing is Chris’s passion for solar power.  He gets excited in what he does and shows a dedication that is rarely seen these days.  Just read the Sunflower Solutions mission statement:

Around the world, 1.6 billion people do not have power. One in 12 people is malnourished, 1.1 billion are without clean drinking water, 2.4 billion are without proper sanitation, 2.1 billion do not have an education, and 1 billion people do not have appropriate medical care.

That’s hard to imagine since most of us will never know what it’s like to be a part of one of those statistics. Still, around the world these problems persist and threaten the lives of millions of people every day. But how do we provide health care without first powering health centers? How do we educate without having access to lights, computers, or the internet? How do we bring clean water without a means to power the water pumps? How do we feed the hungry without first helping farmers irrigate their fields?

Sunflower Solutions’ mission is to eliminate life threatening conditions around the world by bringing low cost and reliable power to areas where it is needed the most. We seek to EmPower education, health, clean water, agriculture, and businesses that struggle around the world. Using the flexibility of solar technology to generate power, along with a little practical ingenuity, Sunflower Solutions sells the lowest cost power solution for the developing world.

Come see for yourself!  Next month Chris will be the featured speaker at Eco Tuesday.  Eco  Tuesday is a group with a three year history of gathering, educating, and promoting sustainability across the country.  Last week was the launch of the Cleveland chapter and the speaker was Brad Masi of the New Agrarian Center.  Held the 4th Tuesday of the month, March’s event will be held at the Key Club.  Come and hear about Chris and his company Sunflower Solutions.  Already written about in the Plain Dealer, this is likely to be a packed event, so RSVP right away.

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Cleveland can learn a lot from Denmark!

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

As Cleveland moves forward and tries to become the Green City on a Blue Lake, many ideas have been put forward. While we figure it out, Denmark continues to move forward. Much of the and is situated on the water, like us, and they have been smart about how to generate power and curb emissions. Can you imagine having your own wind turbine to provide all your electricity needs and selling energy back to the grid? With it you could power your electric car and never pay for gas again. With all the talk about an offshore wind farm on Lake Erie, when I saw this video clip, I had to share it. I think the wind turbines are beautiful and could transform how the rest of the world looks at Cleveland and NE Ohio. Watch the video and tell me what you think!

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100 ways to save energy-Part 10

Monday, November 30th, 2009

This information is reprinted from a booklet called “100+ Ways To Improve Your Electric Bill.” These simple, low- or no-cost tips can assist you in making your energy decisions and in gaining greater control over your electric bill. By following these tips, you also will improve the comfort and convenience of your home. And you’ll help to protect the environment by using energy wisely. Compiled by the Edison Electric Institute 2008© Washington, D. C. www.eei.org

DISHWASHING

Soak or pre-wash only in the cases of burned-on or dried-on foods.

Be sure that the dishwasher is full, but not overloaded.

Don’t use the “rinse hold” feature on your dishwasher when you only have a few soiled dishes.

Overall, dishwashers use less water than washing dishes by hand. For a full load of dishes in the dishwasher, washing the same dishes by hand would typically use at least 6 more gallons of hot water.

Look for dishwashers with internal booster heaters, so that you can set your water heater thermostat at 1200 F (rather than 1400 F or higher for dishwashing purposes). Most new dishwashers have this feature.

Look for the ENERGY STAR® label when purchasing a new dishwasher. New criteria went into effect on January 1, 2007, which made ENERGY STAR® units more than 35 percent more efficient than baseline units.

New federal efficiency standards for standard-size and compact dishwashers will take effect on January 1, 2010. For standard-size units, the efficiency standards are 6.5 gallons of water used per cycle and a maximum usage of 355 kilowatt-hours per year.

For more information on high-efficiency dishwashers, check out the following Web sites: www.aham.org and www.energystar.gov

OTHER APPLIANCES

In the market for a new television? Once you decide on the size, remember that an LCD TV will typically use much less electricity than a plasma TV. Rear projection TVs are typically more efficient than LCDs and plasmas.

Screen savers may save screens, but they do not save energy. Make sure that the screen saver does not deactivate your computer’s sleep mode. You can set the computer to operate the screen saver, then go into the sleep mode.

Look for the ENERGY STAR® label when shopping for a variety of appliances, such as dehumidifiers, ceiling fans, battery chargers, compact fluorescent lamps, a new television, VCR, DVD player/recorder, cordless phone, or home stereo system such as a “boom box.”

The ENERGY STAR® label is also used for computers. Look for it when shopping for a new computer, computer monitor, printer, scanner, or fax machine. Information on ENERGY STAR® computers is detailed at the www.energystar.gov Web site.

Note: New federal standards for dehumidifiers took effect in 2007, and higher efficiency standards will take effect in October 2012.

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100 ways to save energy-Part 9

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

This information is reprinted from a booklet called “100+ Ways To Improve Your Electric Bill.” These simple, low- or no-cost tips can assist you in making your energy decisions and in gaining greater control over your electric bill. By following these tips, you also will improve the comfort and convenience of your home. And you’ll help to protect the environment by using energy wisely. Compiled by the Edison Electric Institute 2008© Washington, D. C. www.eei.org

CLOTHES WASHING

A new federal efficiency standard for clothes washers took effect in January 2007. Make sure your new clothes washer meets or exceeds this standard, which is a Modified Energy Factor, or MEF, of 1.26, and a water factor of 9.5 or less.

(A water factor is the number of gallons of water used per cubic feet of clothes washed. For example, if a clothes washer uses 21 gallons and washes 3.0 cubic feet of clothes, the water factor is 7.0.)

Follow detergent instructions carefully. Over-sudsing actually hampers effective washing action and may require more energy in the form of extra rinses.

If you are in the market for a new washing machine, consider using a front-loading or horizontal axis washing machine. According to studies by the U.S. Department of Energy, these new units use at least 30 percent less water and 50 percent less energy to make hot water and wash clothes than regular washing machines. They are also gentler on fabrics.

Set the wash temperature selector to cold or warm and the rinse temperature to cold as often as possible. Sort laundry and schedule washes so that a complete job can be done with a few cycles of the machine carrying its full capacity rather than a greater number of cycles with light loads.

In terms of features, when shopping for a clothes washer, look for several water level options (to adjust to different loads). Also, look for pre-soaking and suds-saver options.

Washing machines with higher spin speeds can extract more water and reduce drying time, which saves more energy.

Energy You’ll Save: Using new horizontal-axis clothes washers (also called “front loaders”) will reduce water usage by at least 30 percent and lower energy used for washing and making hot water by 50 percent.

Clothes Drying

Avoid over-drying. This not only represents a waste of energy but harms fabrics as well.

Many dryers have settings that allow an automated moisture sensor to reduce the drying time. Dryers with automated moisture sensors may have a buzzer or other sound system to let you know when clothes are dry. Use the sound system to minimize drying time.

To save energy, try not to run the electric dryer unless it is carrying its rated poundage of clothes. Don’t overload, however, since this causes excessive wrinkling and perhaps requires an added amount of ironing.

Dry towels and heavier cottons in a separate load from clothes with lighter weights.

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100 ways to save energy-Part 8

Saturday, November 28th, 2009

This information is reprinted from a booklet called “100+ Ways To Improve Your Electric Bill.” These simple, low- or no-cost tips can assist you in making your energy decisions and in gaining greater control over your electric bill. By following these tips, you also will improve the comfort and convenience of your home. And you’ll help to protect the environment by using energy wisely. Compiled by the Edison Electric Institute 2008© Washington, D. C. www.eei.org

LIGHTING

Provide “task” lighting (over desks, tool benches, craft tables, etc.) so that work and leisure activities can be carried on without illuminating entire rooms.

Select the type of light bulb on the basis of its efficiency. Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) will give an incandescent bulb’s warm soft light, while using 75 percent less electricity. They also last about 8 to 10 times longer. Use these bulbs in fixtures or lamps that are on for more than two hours each day.

Some compact fluorescent bulbs can be used with dimmer switches. Check the package to make sure they can be used with dimmers. Where possible, consider using dimmable compact fluorescent bulbs.

Instead of using a 190-watt halogen torchiere to light up a room, consider a compact fluorescent torchiere that will produce as much light, and use less than 80 watts.

The reflectance of interior surfaces has an important bearing on lighting efficiency. In home decoration, therefore, choose lighter colors for walls, ceilings, floors, and furniture. Dark colors absorb light and require higher lamp wattage for a given level of illumination. Light-colored surfaces should be kept clean to keep reflectance levels high.

In lamps and fixtures having two or more sockets for incandescent bulbs, consider using a single large bulb in one socket rather than filling all sockets with bulbs of smaller wattage. A 100-watt bulb, for instance, produces 50 percent more light than four 25-watt bulbs for the same amount of energy. Using compact fluorescent bulbs will save more energy. Typically, a 23-watt compact fluorescent bulb can replace a 90- or 100-watt bulb.

Many so-called “long life” bulbs emit significantly less light than a standard incandescent bulb of the same wattage. They should be used only where the long-life feature is advantageous, as in hard-to-reach places, or where it is not possible to use compact fluorescent bulbs.

When possible, locate floor, table, and hanging lamps in the corner of a room rather than against a flat wall. Lamps in corners reflect light from two wall surfaces instead of one and, therefore, give more usable light.

Clean lighting fixtures regularly. Dust on lamps and reflectors impairs lighting efficiency.

For large areas such as family recreation rooms, where high levels of lighting are required periodically but not 100 percent of the time, install fixtures on two or three separate circuits so illumination can be controlled by switching circuits on and off.

When purchasing light bulbs, the watt-age ratings tell you only the amount of power it takes to make a bulb work. The amount of brightness is measured in lu-mens.

Larger wattage bulbs are usually more efficient, whether incandescent or compact fluorescent, producing more lumens per watt than smaller bulbs.

To make sure that outdoor lighting is turned off during the daytime, install photoelectric controls or timers.

Consider using compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) in outdoor fixtures. Many bulbs will produce light down to an outdoor temperature of 00F. Check to see if they are compatible with photoelectric controls or timers.

If you are on vacation, and have a timer on a lamp for security reasons, use a compact fluorescent bulb to save energy. Make sure the timer is compatible with the bulb.

For holiday lighting, consider using Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology. Not only will LED lights reduce electric use by more than 90 percent, they will last up to 50,000 hours.

Note: As of January 1, 2006, federal law mandates that the maximum power use of torchiere light fixtures can be no more than 190 watts. If you purchase a torchiere, make sure that your fixture meets the new requirements.

Note: Starting in 2012, new federal efficiency standards will take effect for incandescent lighting.

More information about high-efficiency lighting is available through lighting manufacturer Web sites and at www.energystar.gov.

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100 ways to save energy-Part 7

Friday, November 27th, 2009

This information is reprinted from a booklet called “100+ Ways To Improve Your Electric Bill.” These simple, low- or no-cost tips can assist you in making your energy decisions and in gaining greater control over your electric bill. By following these tips, you also will improve the comfort and convenience of your home. And you’ll help to protect the environment by using energy wisely. Compiled by the Edison Electric Institute 2008© Washington, D. C. www.eei.org

WATER HEATING

One of the biggest energy users in your home, next to heating and cooling systems, is your hot water system.

New federal efficiency standards for electric and gas water heaters took effect in January 2004. Make sure your new water heater meets or exceeds the new Energy Factor (EF) standard. (Examples: 0.90 EF for an electric 50-gallon unit, 0.59 EF for a gas 40-gallon unit.)

It is important to keep the system properly maintained. Once or twice a year, drain a bucket of water out of the bottom of the heater tank because it is sometimes full of sediment. The sediment insulates the water in the tank from the heating element, which wastes energy.

In addition, you might want to investi-gate a relatively inexpensive water heater insulation kit. Older hot water tanks (ex-cept super-insulated tanks) generally are not insulated very well, so an extra layer of protection will keep the heat from being lost through the walls of the tank. Be sure to read the instructions on the kit carefully. Do not insulate over any doors, vents, or relief valves.

When buying a water heater, it is wise to correctly estimate your needs. Don’t buy a water heater that is too large for your family, but you should consider your future needs as well as your present requirements.

Demands for hot water will be greater as the size of your household increases, as your children become older and begin to take showers or soak for hours in a full tub of water, and as certain new appliances (such as hot tubs or Jacuzzis) are added.

Some water heaters now have solid state controls (such as a “vacation” setting) that allow you to lower temperature settings. Look for and take advantage of these features.

In sprawling ranch houses or in resi-dences with two or three levels, the rooms requiring hot water may be widely separated. It may be possible to get better hot water service with less use of electric-ity by having two or more water heaters—one heater in each principal water-using area—instead of one heater in a
central location.

Repair leaky faucets promptly.
A steady drip of hot water can waste many gallons of water per month, plus the energy needed to heat the water.

Consult with a plumber to determine if your water heater meets the needs of your family.

Letting the water run while shaving or when washing dishes by hand is needless waste. Avoid this by using sink stoppers and dishpans.

Encourage family members to take showers rather than baths. The average person will use about half as much hot water in a shower as in a bath.

The standby heat loss of a water heater increases with temperature. So, set the temperature control of your water heater at a moderate 1200 F, or as low as possible without running out of hot water. If you need hotter water for certain functions, such as dishwashing, consider a dual-temperature system. Such sys-tems employ a central unit supplying 1200 F or lower temperature water for general purposes, plus a second, smaller water heater set for a higher temperature.

Locate water heaters as close to the points of hot water use as possible. The reason for this is that any hot water that remains in a supply pipe after a tap or valve is closed eventually cools off and is wasted. The longer the supply pipe, the more heat lost.

When long lengths of hot water supply pipe are unavoidable, insulate them to reduce losses. Hardware stores sell hot water pipe insulation kits.

For more information on water heating, check out the following Web sites: www.ahrinet.org and www.energystar.gov.

Energy You’ll Save: Lowering your water heater temperature setting from 1400 F to 1200 F can reduce your water heating energy bill by more than 10 percent.

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