Investing in Efficiency | Green Energy News

May 17, 2008 – Vol.13 No.8

INVESTING IN EFFICIENCY.

A few years ago I went to the energy saving extreme. The central air conditioning in my house died and I decided not to replace it. Instead I now use ugly window air conditioners - two on the second floor only - and use fans to push air around a bit and leave blinds shut to keep sunlight out. The house is a little warmer than I had it when the central air was running, but it’s not really uncomfortable.

I knew it would cost less to run the window units but I was astounded by how much: about 75 percent less. That’s energy savings. The reasons are many. Window units cool spaces, not whole houses. Window units are used only on the hottest days, and often shut down at night, unlike central air which is often turned on for whole seasons. There’s also system efficiency to consider.

Though air conditioning equipment of all kinds has become more efficient over the years, the balance of the systems have not. Sure, newer homes may have sealed or insulated ducts but twists and turns and long lengths of duct work keep central air systems working very hard to keep a building cool. The air conditioning equipment might be efficient but typically whole house systems are energy wasters.

Scrapping comfy central air for window units is not something most will put up with (though I know two other homeowners who have done so.) So using the most efficient equipment possible is about the only thing to do to cut energy consumption from air conditioning.

Generally speaking, energy efficiency is a winner in cutting energy consumption. particularly over the long run. A new report from the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) points out that since 1970 Americans have cut their energy consumption in half through energy efficiency. The report – The Size of the U.S. Energy Efficiency Market: Generating a More Complete Picture – also says that with the right investments in energy efficiency the US can reduce its energy consumption an additional 25-30 percent or more over the course of the next 20-25 years.

Investment in energy efficiency is also a jobs maker according to the report. Right now about 1.6 million people work in the energy efficiency business (like those heating and air conditioning guys I didn’t hire to put in a new central air system).

Energy efficiency is an economy builder, too. Using 2004 as an example, of the $300 billion spent on energy efficiency, $178 billion or nearly 60 percent of total energy efficiency investments were made in the buildings sector, $75 billion worth of investments were made in the industrial sector, and the transportation sector received approximately 11 percent of investments in efficiency or $33 billion.

Energy efficiency can also stop the construction of new power plants. LIPA, the Long Island (New York) Power Authority, has launched a 10-year, nearly billion energy efficiency program aimed at deferring or eliminating one large or two medium sized power plants. The program, Efficiency Long Island, is expected to reduce peak electric demand by 500 Megawatts (MW) by 2018, by offering incentives for residential and commercial customers to take measures to reduce energy consumption.

The program, ELI, will offer incentives, rebates and other initiatives to purchase energy efficient lighting, appliances, air conditioners and heat pumps or even ENERGY STAR Labeled Homes along with tune-ups to older homes to make them more efficient. With incentives businesses will also be able to make improvements in new buildings and those undergoing extensive reservations.

This year I might upgrade my distributed air conditioning system by replacing one of the window unit air conditioners with a portable one. Newer models are looking pretty snazzy and they have the option of being easily taken from the window. (And they look better on the outside of the house.)

Links:

American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE)
http://aceee.org

The Size of the U.S. Energy Efficiency Market: Generating a More Complete Picture
http://aceee.org/pubs/e083.htm

LIPA Efficiency Long Island
http://www.lipower.org/ELI