Button Up Your Home, Save Energy & Money.
20 Feb 2015 |
 |
 |
Audience members were treated to an energy education at GreenTowns’ GreenTalk Feb. 18. Pictured: L-R – Curtis Tongue (OhmConnect), Margie Suozzo (GreenTown Los Altos), David Siddiqui (Green Evolution Consulting).
GreenTown’s GreenTalk Feb. 18 featured two great speakers sharing two great ways to save energy, and MONEY.
First up was David Siddiqui from Green Evolution Consulting. David told us about the main sources of energy loss in the home. It can be simple problems, like leaky or disconnected heating ducts, which apparently happens all the time with the typical house sprouting a 30% leakage rate. Clearly a huge waste of energy, and MONEY.
Button Up Energy Loss, Lock In Savings
To figure out where you’re “losing” energy, David recommends a whole house energy assessment instead of dissecting the problem contractor by contractor. Once the assessment is complete you’ll have a road map for improvements that make sense. The payoff? Improved comfort, better air quality, increased home value, and to boot, you’ll save MONEY.
Speaking of MONEY, there’s other ways to get money for energy improvements including rebates from Energy Upgrade California and PG&E, as well as good financing options available. For more info contact David .
Second speaker was Curtis Tongue, OhmConnect. Curtis told us about a demand response program is the proverbial win/win. It enables you to make MONEY for your school by reducing your electricity use.
A what? Demand response? With a Payback???
When energy demand is high, think a hot day in August with all the state’s air conditioners blasting away, then all available power plants will have to be on. The last ones turned on will be the least efficient, the dirtiest and the most expensive. In fact, Curtis told us that 15% of the cost of all electricity is for the 1% of electricity at peak demand prices.
With that much cost involved, PG&E will pay you not to use power. This is where OhmConnect comes in.
Their models reliably predict expected use (demand) and if you turn off your appliances, lights, air conditioner, etc. for just one hour you will make MONEY. It’s pretty simple, OhmConnect sends you a text, you cut your power and PG&E doesn’t have to turn on that inefficient, dirty power plant.
So how does this help a school? Since the dollars for a few hours here and there really aren’t huge, people find it more satisfying to pool them with other folks as a school fundraiser. The dollars add up and it really helps. Springer’s PTA did it!
Interested? You can sign up at OhmConnect, it’s free, it’s fun and you can start making MONEY for the community.
So what are you doing to button up your home? Share with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
By Gary Hedden, Energy Chair, GreenTown Los Altos.
