Guest Editorial: Keeping warm while paying less (Printed Dec. 21, 2007)
By Rep. Peggy Pendleton (D-Scarborough)
House District 128
This time of year we are all thinking about the holidays and keeping warm. With rising energy prices, I’m sure many of you are considering what you can do to save on energy costs. There are numerous things we can all change around the house to lower our monthly bills and help the environment.
One of the simplest things to do is remember to always turn down your heat at night or when you are headed out of the house. If you are like me and sometimes forget to do this as you hurry out the door, consider purchasing one of the new programmable thermostats. These thermostats allow you to program time and temperature. The thermostat then automatically lowers and raises your heat. Given how busy we all are, this is one less thing to remember and will save you money.
Another way to lower your energy costs is to switch to the new compact fluorescent light (CFLs) bulbs. The CFL bulbs use 60 to 75 percent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. While CFLs have been around for a few years, there are now many options within this line of bulbs, such as outdoor, dimmable, and three-way bulbs. Since you need a lower wattage CFL to replace an existing standard bulb, you can use the chart below to convert your existing standard bulb to a CFL bulb.
Standard Bulb Watts CFL Watt Range
40 10-11
60 13-16
75 18-23
100 24-29
150 30-42
If your electric bill is making you feel like the Grinch, you can also save money by purchasing the new Light-Emitting Diode (LED) holiday lights. An entire string of LED bulbs uses the same amount of energy as just one conventional bulb. Since they don’t heat up like conventional bulbs, they will last ten times longer. You can even save more money by printing out a coupon for $1.50 from the state of Maine’s Efficiency Maine Web site: www.efficiencymaine.com/Temp/EMLEDCoupon.pdf.
Another cost saver is to turn down the setting on your hot water heater. Between 15 and 25 percent of your electric bill is probably spent heating your water. For every 10 degrees that you reduce your water temperature, you can save 3 to 5 percent in energy costs. You may need to check whether your dishwasher has a booster heater, since lowering the temperature could alter the effectiveness of your dishwasher. You could also save almost 10 percent on your hot water costs by using a water heater blanket. Wrapping up your hot water heater is especially important if it is located in a cold part of the house.
If you are considering replacing your hot water heater, there are new “on-demand” water heaters that can significantly lower your energy costs. These hot water heaters don’t store water but instead heat up water only when you need it, which will save you more money if you are a less frequent user of hot water. For example, if you are doing several loads of laundry a day, a load of dishes, and have five people taking showers a day, they will still save you money, but just not as much as someone who is using less hot water (probably a savings of 8 to 14 percent verses 24-34 percent).
If you are considering building a home or updating your energy systems, you should look into Maine’s Solar Energy Rebate Program. In 2005, Gov. John Baldacci introduced his Solar Initiative, which provides rebates for solar air and hot water systems. There are two types of solar systems supported by the program: photovoltaic and thermal.
The current rebate can cover up to 25 percent of the cost of the system, or $1,250, whichever is less. The solar rebates, coupled with federal tax incentives, may reduce the cost of purchasing and installing solar energy systems by roughly 30 percent, according to staff at the Maine Public Utilities Commission. While the funds for the photovoltaic (PV) system have been reserved though the end of 2008, there are ample funds for the thermal systems. There may be additional rebate dollars available in 2008 for the PV systems. If you are interested in learning more about “going solar,” visit the Efficiency Maine web site above.
In January, the Legislature will consider a proposal, sponsored by Rep. Timothy Carter, (D-Bethel), to create a new state rebate program for geothermal heating systems. While Maine relies almost entirely on oil and some natural gas for heat, nations like Iceland actively harness geothermal energy for heat and electricity. The major obstacle keeping geothermal energy systems out of the mainstream energy market is the price of purchase and installation, which can cost many thousands of dollars depending on the size and type. Yet once tapped, geothermal energy costs very little to operate. It requires minimal electricity to run the system’s heat pump, and the overall system is three times more efficient than an electric space heating system.
House District 128
This time of year we are all thinking about the holidays and keeping warm. With rising energy prices, I’m sure many of you are considering what you can do to save on energy costs. There are numerous things we can all change around the house to lower our monthly bills and help the environment.
One of the simplest things to do is remember to always turn down your heat at night or when you are headed out of the house. If you are like me and sometimes forget to do this as you hurry out the door, consider purchasing one of the new programmable thermostats. These thermostats allow you to program time and temperature. The thermostat then automatically lowers and raises your heat. Given how busy we all are, this is one less thing to remember and will save you money.
Another way to lower your energy costs is to switch to the new compact fluorescent light (CFLs) bulbs. The CFL bulbs use 60 to 75 percent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. While CFLs have been around for a few years, there are now many options within this line of bulbs, such as outdoor, dimmable, and three-way bulbs. Since you need a lower wattage CFL to replace an existing standard bulb, you can use the chart below to convert your existing standard bulb to a CFL bulb.
Standard Bulb Watts CFL Watt Range
40 10-11
60 13-16
75 18-23
100 24-29
150 30-42
If your electric bill is making you feel like the Grinch, you can also save money by purchasing the new Light-Emitting Diode (LED) holiday lights. An entire string of LED bulbs uses the same amount of energy as just one conventional bulb. Since they don’t heat up like conventional bulbs, they will last ten times longer. You can even save more money by printing out a coupon for $1.50 from the state of Maine’s Efficiency Maine Web site: www.efficiencymaine.com/Temp/EMLEDCoupon.pdf.
Another cost saver is to turn down the setting on your hot water heater. Between 15 and 25 percent of your electric bill is probably spent heating your water. For every 10 degrees that you reduce your water temperature, you can save 3 to 5 percent in energy costs. You may need to check whether your dishwasher has a booster heater, since lowering the temperature could alter the effectiveness of your dishwasher. You could also save almost 10 percent on your hot water costs by using a water heater blanket. Wrapping up your hot water heater is especially important if it is located in a cold part of the house.
If you are considering replacing your hot water heater, there are new “on-demand” water heaters that can significantly lower your energy costs. These hot water heaters don’t store water but instead heat up water only when you need it, which will save you more money if you are a less frequent user of hot water. For example, if you are doing several loads of laundry a day, a load of dishes, and have five people taking showers a day, they will still save you money, but just not as much as someone who is using less hot water (probably a savings of 8 to 14 percent verses 24-34 percent).
If you are considering building a home or updating your energy systems, you should look into Maine’s Solar Energy Rebate Program. In 2005, Gov. John Baldacci introduced his Solar Initiative, which provides rebates for solar air and hot water systems. There are two types of solar systems supported by the program: photovoltaic and thermal.
The current rebate can cover up to 25 percent of the cost of the system, or $1,250, whichever is less. The solar rebates, coupled with federal tax incentives, may reduce the cost of purchasing and installing solar energy systems by roughly 30 percent, according to staff at the Maine Public Utilities Commission. While the funds for the photovoltaic (PV) system have been reserved though the end of 2008, there are ample funds for the thermal systems. There may be additional rebate dollars available in 2008 for the PV systems. If you are interested in learning more about “going solar,” visit the Efficiency Maine web site above.
In January, the Legislature will consider a proposal, sponsored by Rep. Timothy Carter, (D-Bethel), to create a new state rebate program for geothermal heating systems. While Maine relies almost entirely on oil and some natural gas for heat, nations like Iceland actively harness geothermal energy for heat and electricity. The major obstacle keeping geothermal energy systems out of the mainstream energy market is the price of purchase and installation, which can cost many thousands of dollars depending on the size and type. Yet once tapped, geothermal energy costs very little to operate. It requires minimal electricity to run the system’s heat pump, and the overall system is three times more efficient than an electric space heating system.
Comments