As if anyone really could forget, Winter Storm Fern last January brought our region the longest stretch of extremely cold weather since the 1940s. Even prior to Fern’s arrival, December’s temperatures were the coldest that Virginia has experienced in 15 years.
Given the heating bill spikes that accompanied our bone-chilling winter, it’s little solace that The Old Farmer’s Almanac is forecasting temperatures hotter than average along the East Coast this July and August. Cold or hot, when it’s on the extremes it causes higher electric bills.
Community Electric doesn’t like these periods of peak power demand any more than its member-owners do. That’s why our website includes a “Beat the Peak” section that has tips for conserving energy. Leading tips include: adjusting your thermostat up three degrees in the summer during peak periods; easing your use of hot water; and turning off unnecessary lights and appliances. The CEC website also features a “Home Energy Calculator” that helps you pinpoint key factors that affect your energy consumption.
New to the website in the past few months is Community Electric Marketplace, an online platform that allows members-owners to purchase energy-efficient products with instant, automated discounts. Marketplace is designed to make energy-saving solutions more accessible and affordable. It offers a wide selection of approved products to help households take control of their energy use and monthly expenses. Offerings include smart thermostats that help reduce unnecessary heating and cooling, energy-efficient LED lighting, smart power strips that cut down on standby energy use, water-saving devices, weatherization products, and ENERGY STAR® certified solutions for home comfort and efficiency.
“We know there are a lot of pressures on household budgets, all the more so this decade as COVID disrupted supply chains and high inflation took hold in the economy,” CEC President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen A. Harmon said. “I urge every member-owner to take advantage of the programs we offer to conserve energy. Even little efficiency gains can make a significant difference when they are applied broadly across our cooperative. We’re here to help you, so if you have questions about ways to save energy and money, let us know.”
The U.S. Energy Information Administration, in the Short-Term Energy Outlook that it released in April, projected that residential electricity demand this summer will increase three percent from last summer’s level. Throughout this decade, after remaining nearly flat for 15 years, U.S. electricity demand has risen about two percent per year, according to EIA. Demand pressures are even greater in Virginia than many other states due to the state’s prominence as a home for energy-gulping data centers.
Additional tips on spring and summer energy savings can be found on the U.S. Department of Energy’s website at https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/spring-and-summer-energy-saving-tips.