Hot Water Systems and Energy Savings

Electricity bills are about to go up as the season changes and temperatures drop. One of the biggest domestic energy guzzlers is the electric hot water system.

 According to SwitchWise: “If you have an electric hot water system with a storage tank then you are well on your way to having a shocking power bill. If you are unlucky enough to run your electric hot water on a single (peak) rate tariff then you could be looking at $70-$100 per month for your hot water. If you are fortunate to have an off-peak, hard wired electric hot water system on an off-peak tariff the running cost would be a lot lower, at $25-$40 per month. “To reduce the amount of power your hot water uses look at turning down the thermostat setting. Decreasing your thermostat 5 degrees could reduce your electricity consumption by up to 5 per cent. Around 60C seems to be the minimum level advised by health experts to ensure no bacteria build up in your system.”  

Wind Farms and Energy Conservation

Energy conservation is a rising topic among companies and individuals. Offices, schools, stores and homes can all benefit by minimizing energy use. National Geographic explains a bit about conservation and wind energy as a new power source. Wind farms can be a disturbance in residential areas, but several solutions have been brought forth, including smaller turbines, placing the farms far from communities, and of course, energy efficiency and conservation.

Heating Costs and Energy Saving

One of the largest energy consumers in the home is heating. Winter months, therefore, often result in high energy bills. In fact, heating accounts for 35-50% of annual energy bills in colder regions.

There are several ways to reduce heating costs. First, it is important to fully seal the home from the weather; this alone can reduce energy use by 15-30%. Hire a professional if you don’t feel confident going over your home by yourself.

Next, make sure to use energy efficient heaters. Central heating systems are often the most expensive, so make sure to always use a thermostat. Radiators and space heaters should be set with timers or thermostats as well. These allow you to turn off the central heating when only specific rooms are in use. Make sure to turn off all heating devices when the house in empty.

The Freezer- A Power Consumer

Energy companies, like IDT Energy, can attest to the fact that using your appliances correctly can lower your electricity bill. Here is a good example of an appliance that many people neglect, which consumes a lot of power on a regular basis- the freezer.

Lots of freezers are put in a corner and are surrounded by walls or cabinets on all sides. It would be better to leave at least 5cm worth of space around it, to allow heat to circulate away from the compressor and condensing coil. Also, keep the back and underside of your freezer clean and free of dust. Defrost and clean the inside of your freezer once a year, and sooner if the ice buildup is more than a quarter of an inch thick. Always ensure that the door seal is intact and secure.

Also, make sure to keep your freezer at 18⁰C. Each degree lower than that causes your freezer to consume 2% more power.

Do-It-Yourself Energy Assessments: IDT Energy

In order to find ways to save on your energy costs, you can always conduct a do-it-yourself energy assessment. Certainly, you may also want to look for a new energy supplier like IDT Energy if you live in a state that has deregulation.
A do-it-yourself energy assessment includes a simple walk-through of the home where you will look for problems, air leaks, and more. Keep paper with you and a checklist of the area so that you can keep track of what you have inspected and problems that you discovered. For a more extensive energy assessment, you can always hire someone to come to the home for an evaluation.
Your energy assessment should include locating any air leaks, looking at insulation, evaluating your heating and cooling units, and taking a look at your lighting. You can read up on each area to find out exactly how to evaluate your usage and your needs, and how to make improvements based on your findings.

IDT Corporation News: IDT Energy and More

In recent IDT news, they have just announced that they are increasing the size of their board from five to size members at IDT Corporation, with the appointment of W. Wesley-Perry.

Perry has already been serving as the chairman of Genie Energy Corporation for one year. Genie Energy Corporation, an IDT subsidiary, is comprised of IDT’s interests in IDT Energy, American Shale Oil, LLC (AMSO) and Israel Energy Initiatives (IEI).

W. Wesley-Perry owns and operates S.E.S. Investments, Ltd., which is an oil and gas investments company. In November of 2007, Perry was elected Mayor of Midland, Texas where he still serves in this capacity.

Energy Changes for New Yorkers as of October 2010

Whether you use IDT Energy, Con Edison or another NY energy delivery company, you’ll want to know about these upcoming changes. There will be a new reactive power charge starting in October 2010. Customers who have a monthly demand higher than 1000 kW and power factor lower than 95% will see a reactive power charge on their bills.

One year from now, in October of 2011, this charge will also apply to customers with monthly demands higher than 500 kW. People who correct power factor by installing capacitors will have this charge eliminated.

Certainly, you should ask your power company, such as IDT Energy, about these upcoming charges and get yourself more educated about your energy needs and usages.

IDT Energy Looks at What's New at the DOE

The Department of Energy is getting into high gear with some of the programs which are helping to develop electric cars and more advanced batteries with which to run them. The DOE hosted what was called a “Plug-In Vehicle and Infrastructure Workshop” which was attended by almost 200 interested parties and another 600 who participated on-line. The main topic of the workshop was how to speed-up the introduction of electric-drive vehicles into the marketplace. The program showed in what ways federal leadership can quicken preparation for vehicles which are hopefully going to be in car showrooms by the end of this year. The Obama Administration has dedicated almost $5 billion in loans and grants to motivate innovation, creativity, manufacturing and finally the deployment of these electric-drive vehicles.

UNC Chapel Hill Dorm in First Place In ENERGY STAR Competion

With about three months left to the national building completion sponsored by the EPA and ENERGY STAR, the Morrison Residence hall in Chapel Hill, North Carolina is in the lead with over 19% reduction in energy usage. The dormitory building is part of the University of North Carolina, and houses 800 students. It was the leader on its campus in using solar panels, and it is the home of UNC’s Sustainability Living Learning Community.

Morrison Hall was built in 1965 and is a 10 story building housing 800 students and 50 support staff. In 2007 it was renovated with energy savings in mind, installing central air and heating to all rooms and solar panels for the production of hot water.

Companies like IDT Energy and many others are certainly interested in the creative ideas put forward by students like those at Chapel Hill.

Buildings Reducing Energy Consumption in Energy Star Contest

Different types of buildings have different energy needs and can therefore have radically different EUI numbers. For instance, a hospital which is full of equipment which is energy intensive will have a much higher EUI than an elementary school which only uses lights, heat, and other simple types of power for the people inside. So it is not surprising that a normal EUI for a hospital might be 470, while that for a school is only 169.

The ENERGY STAR competition will judge each building according to the percentage it reduces energy consumption over the course of the contest, and not the total amount of energy usage actually reduced.