Adapted by Rachel Thomas

Renewable Energy has been a somewhat controversial subject over the decades as our current energy consumption relies on oil from other war-torn countries. What other costs could there be besides rising gas prices?

Google, a prominent leader of innovation in the digital economy, says without private and public focus on innovation in renewables, storage and electric vehicles, the cost of delaying renewables would mean loosing trillions in the United States Economy.

Google released, an analysis, of the economic impact of clean energy innovation today, the analysis modeled a variety of long-term scenarios and their influences on GDP growth, a reduction in energy costs and greenhouse gas reductions.They used McKinsey’s Low Carbon Economics Tool, which provides models to assess the macroeconomic impact of climate and energy policies.

They estimated by 2030, innovation in the modeled technologies alone could have a impact on the US, over $155 billion per year in GDP and 1.1 million net jobs. Individual houses would have a reduction in cost of energy of $942 per year.

Oil consumption would be reduced to 1.1 billion barrels per year, and Green House Gas emissions by 13% relative to BAU. By 2050, annual gains in GDP would increase to $600 billion, and added net additional jobs to 3.9 million, and emissions reductions to 55%.

For more information go to  Clean Energy Innovation for the complete Google analysis and McKinsey’s Low Carbon Economics Tool

Visit our website at Advanced Energy Solutions

By The Southern

All homeowners can benefit from thoughtful energy improvements. The most fumble-fingered can complete most of them with little effort, a few hours and a bit of money for materials.

Heck, you’ll probably even qualify for a tax credit.

Simple steps - like changing light bulbs or replacing the filter in your air conditioner - can trim your electric bill by 5 percent. Set your thermostat at 78 or higher this summer; every degree below 78 can raise your bill 5 percent to 7 percent.

Only do full loads of laundry and dishes. Turn off lights and fans when you leave a room. Fans only make you feel cooler. They do nothing to lower the temperature.

Some tips are slightly more ambitious. The U.S. Department of Energy and the Alliance to Save Energy have offered consumers advice on smart energy practices this summer:

• A well-maintained cooling system will run more efficiently, use less energy, and lower energy bills, so clean or replace AC filters monthly or as needed. Also, keep both outdoor and indoor air conditioner coils clean. Dirt build-up on the indoor coil is the single most common cause of poor operating efficiency.

• Check air conditioning ducts. If you feel leaks between sections, or where the ducts connect with the air handler, seal them with metal tape and a coating of mastic.

• Plug energy leaks by caulking and weather stripping all seams, cracks and openings to the outside. You can save 10 percent or more on energy bills by reducing air leaks.

• Sufficient insulation can increase your comfort and reduce your cooling costs up to 30 percent. Start with the attic - which can reach temperatures of 115 degrees - followed by exterior and basement walls, floors, and crawl spaces. Insulate and seal attic air ducts, too.

• When possible, delay heat-producing activities such as dish washing until the evening. Close curtains during the day, and install awnings on south-facing windows. Plant shade trees or vines.

• During the cooling season, keep your house closed tight in the daytime to keep unwanted heat and humidity out. If practical, ventilate at night either naturally or with fans.

• Avoid running a dehumidifier at the same time as the AC. The dehumidifier will increase the cooling load and force the air conditioner to work harder.

• Shift energy-intensive tasks such as laundry and dish washing to off-peak energy demand hours to increase electricity reliability during heat waves; do full loads when you run washers, dryers, and dishwashers.

• Switch to cold water washing of laundry in top-loading, energy-inefficient washing machines to save energy and up to $63 a year-detergents formulated for cold water get clothes just as clean; clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load.

• Keep lamps or TVs away from the air conditioner thermostat. The heat they generate will cause your air conditioner to run longer, running up bills unnecessarily.

• Save up to 10 percent a year with a programmable thermostat that automatically adjusts the temperature by 10 to 15 percent for the hours that the house is unoccupied.

• Ceiling and other fans provide additional cooling and better circulation so you can raise the thermostat and cut down on air conditioning costs. Energy Star-certified ceiling fans do even better, moving air up to 20 percent more efficiently than conventional models, and those that include energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are up to 50 percent more efficient than those with incandescent lighting. The CFLs last six to 10 times longer than traditional lighting and generate 70 percent less heat.

Key Points

• Summer cooling makes up to 20% of the total energy used in commercial buildings nationwide.
• Benchmarking your energy use with similar facilities is the first step in an energy-saving program.
• Save energy this summer through cooling system maintenance, peak demand reductions, and lighting system upgrades.

Summer cooling and ventilation makes up to 20% of the total energy used in commercial buildings nationwide. While space conditioning is important for employee comfort and productivity, it also presents a significant opportunity to reduce your operating costs. Now is a great time to start an energy-saving program. The five steps that follow will help you lower your utility bills during the summer months and all year long.

1. Benchmark your facility and set energy-saving goals. The first step in starting an energy-saving program for summer - or any time of year - is to measure your current energy use and assess it against industry standards. This will allow you to locate opportunities to improve efficiency and set energy-saving goals. The Commercial and Industrial Energy Benchmarks are useful in comparing your operating performance against similar facilities. For an in-depth look at this process, see Benchmarking for Energy Success.

While benchmarking is a great way to begin a long-term program, you are probably wondering if there are ways to save energy now. In fact, there are a number of steps you can take to reduce your operating costs this summer and for years to come. These include cooling system maintenance, thermostat adjustments, peak demand reductions; even lighting system upgrades.

2. Inspect your cooling system and perform regular maintenance. To ensure that your facility is cooled efficiently in summer, it is important to verify that your cooling system is functioning properly. After an initial check up, monthly maintenance will ensure efficient operation throughout the season. Once the equipment is functioning properly, your cooling costs may be reduced 5% or more if major problems are found and addressed. Maintenance strategies include the following:

• Inspect heating and cooling ducts and seal leaks; direct leaks in duct systems can result in large losses.
• Check air filters throughout the facility. Dirty or clogged air filters reduce airflow, which increases energy use all year round.
• Make sure outdoor condensing units are free of dust and dirt, which block flow and make the cooling system work harder; increasing energy costs.
• Calibrate thermostats to ensure that they are functioning properly. Otherwise, the cooling system may receive the wrong start/stop signals.
• As a long-term energy-savings strategy, install variable speed drives to control fans and pumps.

3. Adjust cooling equipment to occupancy schedules. Many facilities operate their cooling systems 24-hours per day, even when they are unoccupied. At many facilities, this is done out of habit or a lack of understanding on how to adjust the system properly. It is a common misconception that if the temperature is adjusted upward, the facility will be too hot when occupants return, but programmable thermostats and advanced energy management systems can be set to readjust temperatures before employees return. For facilities that do not operate around the clock, adjusting the thermostat when the building is unoccupied is a highly effective, no-cost way to reduce summer cooling costs. Typical thermostat settings range between 68°F and 75°F. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends setting temperatures at the highest end of that range to optimize energy savings without sacrificing comfort.

4. Upgrade lighting systems. Lighting uses an estimated 13% of the energy in commercial buildings. By upgrading to a more efficient lighting system, you can save up to 30% on lighting energy costs. Efficient lighting technologies also give off less heat, which reduces the need for air-conditioning. For more information, see Planning Your Next Lighting Upgrade. More energy-saving strategies for lighting follow:

• Install occupancy sensors to turn off lights in areas with varying occupancy, such as conference rooms and restrooms.
• Establish a maintenance program to replace lighting fixtures on a regular schedule. This enhances lighting system effectiveness and efficiency; and reduces maintenance costs.
• Use skylights or window treatments to take advantage of daylighting. This can create a warm atmosphere and reduce the energy cost of artificial lighting. Special techniques are available to reduce the potential for summer heat gain.

5. Reduce peak-demand charges. The cost of electricity is made up of two components, consumption in kilowatt-hours (kWh) and demand charges in kilowatts (kW). Demand meters record the rate of energy use over 15-minute increments of time. One energy-intensive interval can result in a high demand charge applied over an entire month’s electric bill. Demand charges can become a real problem during the summer when air-conditioning loads put a strain on the electrical system. Many facility managers are surprised to find that demand charges make up 50% or more of their total electrical costs. The tips that follow will help to reduce peak demand charges:

• Establish the facility’s load profile so high-energy-use equipment can be identified.
• Consider energy storage systems for producing chilled water and ice at night, so the cooling capacity of the chiller can be tapped during the heat of the day when it is needed.
• Install variable speed drives to reduce operating load. All types of motors, as well as evaporator and condenser fans, are candidates for variable speed drives.
• Use an energy management system (EMS) to ensure that high-energy-use equipment will not peak or operate at the same time.
• Install backup generators for peak shifting of large electrical loads that cannot be shifted from peak operating periods.

Get Everyone Involved

To reduce summer energy costs, employee cooperation is necessary. Hold a staff meeting at the beginning of the season to educate employees on basic energy-saving behaviors. Discourage the use of personal fans. If employees feel uncomfortable, it could be a sign of a larger cooling problem that should be addressed. Encourage employees with windows to adjust shades to allow for daylight, while minimizing heat gain. With everyone working together, you can realize a substantial reduction in your utility bills this summer and all year long.

This article previously appeared in the Egyptian Electric Cooperative Questline newsletter, and is used with permission. Source: Five Steps to Cool Summer Energy Savings