Renewable Energy Power Sources

Ways to find best Energy suppliers

With the ease in increasing demand of gas and electricity suppliers now a days, it’s very important to compare both of them and choose the right one .Since electricity suppliers as well as gas suppliers are frequently changing their prices so it’s important for us to find the best of them by keeping in mind the various points. There are various factors that contribute in lowering your energy bill, from large size of your business to the dwelling place followed by your surroundings. Since gas and electricity are the main renewable sources of energy. Prices of electricity vary within same country, region, and various other affluent areas so its difficult to compare electricity. That’s why individuals relied on various standard tariffs. However you need to ensure that your gas suppliers offers the optimum contract for you so that if you move your house to new place and still continuing with previous supplier, you could find it’s no longer as competitive in your new surroundings. But in present world various other options are also available like online portals, which is the most quick and beneficial way to have your gas and electricity suppliers.

Energy Suppliers: Find and compare energy suppliers for Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

There are various factors that contribute in lowering your energy bill, from large size of your business to the dwelling place followed by your surroundings

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You have to simply enter your postal code onto website and you will get approximate cost for your fuel usage, compared to other regions. Some of the cheapest tariffs available today are those found exclusively online, which allow you to avoid the hassle of paper bills by dealing with your supplier over the internet. This can also result in radically reduced prices and discounts when you first sign up, and the benefits can keep on coming, especially if you pay by direct debit and enjoy cash back benefits each time you renew your annual subscription.

 

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/customer-service-articles/ways-to-find-best-energy-suppliers-4589931.html

About the Author

Eric Bernard is the director of Energy switch. Energy Switch provides services to compare electricity. They also provide real time seamless Electricity prices comparison and electricity prices comparison services.

10 Million Solar Roofs & 10 Million Gallons of Solar Hot Water Act

Though 90% of Americans agree that we should be employing solar energy to combat our climate and energy crises, the U.S. government has been slow to embrace and develop legislation that addresses those concerns. In a bill titled “10 Million Solar Roofs & 10 Million Gallons of Solar Hot Water Act” and introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Feb. 4, 2010, Americans in all 50 states would be eligible for rebates for the installation of solar electric and solar thermal systems.

The bill known as the 10 Million Solar Roofs & 10 Million Gallons of Solar Hot Water Act adopted its name from California Solar Initiative’s “Million Solar Roofs” program and is modeled after the incentive programs in California and New Jersey- number 1 and 2 in solar energy, respectively. It would provide for up to half the cost of any new photovoltaic or solar thermal system.

The 10 Million Solar Roofs & 10 Million Gallons of Solar Hot Water Act will produce 30,000 new megawatts of electricity in the next 10 years. This amount of energy is equivalent to the output of 30 nuclear power plants. However, it is extremely more cost-effective. The program is estimated to cost anywhere between $2-3 billion per year.

The average power plant produces about 1,000 megawatts for the $10 billion spent to build it. Sanders’ 10 Million Solar Roofs & 10 Million Gallons of Solar Hot Water Act aims to produce 30x the energy of a nuclear power plant for only $30 billion. It would take $300 billion to produce that much energy from nuclear sources.

Distributed energy is much more efficient than energy produced from coal, oil, and nuclear. Yet, it hasn’t benefited from the same amount of funding as the other more traditional methods.

Proponents of the 10 Million Solar Roofs & 10 Million Gallons of Solar Hot Water Act include Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Arlen Specter (D-PA).

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/10-million-solar-roofs-10-million-gallons-of-solar-hot-water-act-2312258.html

About the Author

Rich Hessler Solar - An organization that provides the elements necessary to launch or increase sales and revenue for solar businesses. We offer the latest innovative solar products, solar financing, leads, solar marketing, and business support; all the key components to starting a solar company.

Generating Wind Energy

Just like solar energy, wind energy is another environment-friendly and economical energy source. With almost 40% of wind energy sources of Europe in the United Kingdom, there is immense potential to use wind energy as a source of energy.

Generating power through wind is not only efficient but also renewable like solar energy. The only downside is that a tall, moderately sized generator can be a sore eye and spoil the visual landscape, leading to murmurs of disapproval among neighbours. Think about this before you go ahead and think about how to generate wind energy in your area. However, if you do not live in a very populated area and your neighbors consent to your wind energy project, there could be nothing more beneficial to harness the potential of such a natural and renewable resource called wind.

Getting Help in the Start

If you are wondering how to generate wind energy, the British Wind Energy Association or BWEA is a good professional source of services and information for initiating projects related to wind energy. This professional body continuously organizes and manages several initiatives to propagate the use of wind as a source of energy across the country and its residences. It has information on local suppliers of wind systems and information on grants and permissions.

The ‘Energy Saving Trust’ which is backed by the government also provides provide advice on several issues for both companies and individuals and companies desiring to install wind generators on a small scale.

Other Practicalities like Cost and Savings

The cost of wind generators should fall in the range of 3000 pounds -15000 pounds for each kilowatt. This is as competitive as solar and actually slightly cheap when compared to the high output it generates. It is also expected to generate higher output in a year compared to its output in the previous year. Your wind generator should break even in about five years and the way the prices of normal energy sources are increasing, the returns of a wind generator will surely increase over a period of time.

How to Position Your Turbine

It is best to place the turbine high if you want to get the most of the wind strength without any obstructions. Also make sure to measure the wind strength in your locality so that you can place the turbine facing the direction where the wind is prevailing. To measure the wind strength, you can either buy or hire an anemometer. You can also get the person installing your wind generator to do that.

Battery or Grid?

A battery can be connected to wind generators of small scale to provide electricity to your house. The other option is to connect the wind generator to the National Grid. The decision to do the former or the latter depends totally on the circumstance. As such there is no major difference except that it will affect the direction of your energy. If you happen to stay in an area that is remote with no access to the National Grid, energy should then be directed to the battery which in turn will be connected to your residence’s mains. If you can easily access the National Grid, get the generator connected to the grid. By connecting to the grid not only will you be benefited from power savings by not using the supply of electricity from the grid, you will also be able to sell surplus electricity to the grid.

Read the whole ebook - Home Made Energy

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/generating-wind-energy-1517414.html

About the Author

Home Made Energy – Learn about wind and solar energy www.renewableenergy4earth.com

PV Solar Market Growth in the US

According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the United States should create 4% of electricity through photovoltaic solar panels and solar thermal technologies. Each year for the past 4 have marked significant growth of solar capacity. Currently, the United States generates 1.4 GW of electricity from solar (1 GW is enough to power 750,000 homes).

The amount of solar electricity production by 2020 heavily depends on the amount of solar financing available. According to Bloomberg, nearly $100 billion in private investment and solar financing will be required. This will increase the United States’ solar energy production to 44 GW.

The growth is expected thanks to strong government support and decreasing cost of equipment. Currently, the federal government’s solar policy is the industry’s strongest ally. With the recent agreement to install solar on the White House and the current 30% tax break (off the cost of a solar installation), the federal government has shown that renewable energy is becoming a priority.

Over the next decade, the cost of solar energy and electricity produced from conventional sources will be the same without subsidies. To get there, the government must continue solar subsidies to keep money from the private sector flowing into solar.

With the growth of solar over the next decade, the United States is investing in our future through ensuring cheap, abundant energy. As conventional sources of energy are used up, cheap and abundant alternatives are required. Solar is a promising technology and as investment in solar research will increase through the next decade, the price of solar will continue to decrease.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/economics-articles/pv-solar-market-growth-in-the-us-3572539.html

About the Author

Rich Hessler Solar - An organization that provides the elements necessary to launch or increase sales and revenue for solar businesses. We offer the latest innovative solar products, solar finance, leads, solar marketing, and business support; all the key components to starting a solar company.

Kyocera Solar to begin production of solar modules in San Diego

With goals of competing in the United States solar market, Kyocera Solar announced that they will open up solar module manufacturing in their San Diego facility.  

This move will bring them much closer to a Kyocera Solar milestone of generating 1000 kilowatts or 1 gigawatt of solar capacity per year by 2013.  Reaching this mark would allow Kyocera Solar to supply 3.5 kW solar electric systems to about 285,000 homes.  With an initial production goal of 30 megawatts per year, solar module manufacturing will begin in Kyocera’s existing Balboa Avenue facility.  

Kyocera Solar will take advantage of their current manufacturing operations to offer the U.S. solar market the company’s most powerful and most efficient solar modules.  Two reasons why Kyocera Solar chose San Diego are because it is close to Kyocera Mexicana in Tijuana and because San Diego’s solar market has the most potential in the most ambitious state when it comes to renewable energy standards.  San Diego has a rising  demand for large-scale photovoltaic systems and Kyocera Solar wants to focus on meeting that demand.  Overall, California has deployed more solar energy systems than any other state.

“Today’s announcement is further proof that California’s nation-leading green policies play a vital role in our state’s economic success.  Even in this recession, green jobs in California have grown, and Kyocera’s decision to locate its solar manufacturing operations in San Diego will create even more jobs at a time when they are needed most,” said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Though the Kyoto, Japan based Kyocera has been involved in clean energy technology through solar modules for the past 35 years, they are widely known for their success in telecommunications, copiers, printers, industrial ceramics and more.  In the year ending March 31, 2009, Kyocera netted sales of $11.5 billion.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-opportunities-articles/kyocera-solar-to-begin-production-of-solar-modules-in-san-diego-3869006.html

About the Author

Rich Hessler Solar - An organization that provides the elements necessary to launch or increase sales and revenue for solar businesses. We offer the latest innovative solar products, solar financing, leads, solar marketing, and business support; all the key components to starting a solar company.

Energy Audit and Solutions in New Orleans, Louisiana

Star Energy Audits is the leading energy audit and Solutions Company in the state of Louisiana. Our mission is clear and simple. We help save homeowners money from rising energy costs. Our Energy Audits can help transform a wasteful, unhealthy, and uncomfortable home into an energy-efficient, more rigorously fortified, and tightly controlled dwelling while simultaneously lowering your home’s carbon emissions and making it a cleaner, healthier domicile over all.

 

Star Energy Audits is in a prime position to offer extensive rebates and discounts on energy-efficiency solutions as it has been working in concert with local utility companies and remaining active participants in various state energy-efficiency programs. These all help our clients get on the path to energy efficiency as quickly and affordably as possible. Our offers vary throughout the year, but can range anywhere from as low as 25% to as high as 70%. In fact, our solutions often end up being completely free, or at least extremely affordable after combining all the federal and state tax credits you qualify for.

 

As an 100% local company through and through, and have been actively involved in the energy efficiency and insulation industry for years in New Orleans and other surrounding areas in Louisiana.

We are proud members of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Our Home-Energy Experts and solution installation technicians are extensively trained and certified to perform energy audits. A Star Energy Audit is a diagnostic analysis of your home’s energy efficiency. Generally, an home audit consumes 3 to 4 hours to complete for most homes. Our solutions are simple, inexpensive and implemented by our own in-house technicians, nationwide.

 

We guarantee that you will save upto 20% to 45% on your energy bills no matter, whether you live in a new build home or multi-million dollar mansion. Star Energy Audits is popular for offering cutting-edge energy solutions that drastically reduce energy bills for our clients.

 

We are currently servicing:

• New Orleans
• Metairie
• Kenner
• Baton Rouge
• Westbank
• Harahan
• River Ridge
• Laplace
• Slidell

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/construction-articles/energy-audit-and-solutions-in-new-orleans-louisiana-3433406.html

About the Author

Star Energy Audits provides the most thorough, all-encompassing diagnostic home energy audits in the greater New Orleans area.

 

Today's Solar Considerations

Today’s Solar Considerations

 

Some of the more interesting stories going around is a little red house on wheels in Massachusetts that runs totally on solar power, has compost toilet, is portable with a heater and very little but enough furniture, not a breaking story but one that exemplifies American innovation.

 

Some of the new solar wave terminology spreading over the planet is “Passive homes” and “Active homes”, passive homes are homes that are energy efficient – completely except when weather conditions are overwhelming, and then an outside energy source is needed to maintain the same comfort level. An active house is one that collects more energy than it needs in a years time and stores the excess for needs that exceed the expected or emergency situations.

 

The first working active/positive home of this type is in Denmark, sad to say we can not make this claim being a country of innovative and original thinkers.  But that does not mean we can’t learn from this and build the next best thing. The home in Denmark is equipped with thermal and electric solar systems, the heat is solar heated and distributed through the flooring creating a radiant heat, a very comfortable way of heating with no visible objects from which the heat is distributed, except the floor has a warm cozy feel from the heated water running through the tubing under it.

 

Features of new wave solar powered homes include the likes of R40 Larsen Truss walls, triple glazed R6 super windows, glazing revamped for passive solar heating, a new solarium, a hand crafted masonry heater, and much more.  In addition to a very good thermal envelope. Like most good designs, this one is simple and robust without a lot of gadgetry.

 

Solar power home financing is also an area of growth as far as new ways of finding the money to convert your home, Government incentives are of course the loudest talking ways of financial help, but another way is leasing, there companies who will install and lease the equipment to home owners, again this is where a little smart shopping skills are very valuable.  Should you decide to go with a power purchase agreement make sure you understand everything and have read all the fine print. Many companies have solar plans; shop at least a dozen before making a commitment.

 

Passive VS Photovoltaic

 

Photovoltaic solar panels absorb and transform sunlight to direct electrical current. Passive solar panels and absorbers lack the intensity necessary to transform light and heat into electricity; however, they are quite capable of radiating heat and providing hot water. Using both photovoltaic and passive solar systems to power and heat a home is an efficient use of resources.

Unknown interesting fact about solar installation is New Jersey is second only to California in new installations, the important thing about having a home powered by solar and your not fortunate enough to live in California, Arizona, Hawaii or any of the other states blessed with sunlight almost year round, is to have a good power storage system and backup system.

 

In the coming next year the technological advancements that are coming our way will make solar systems easier to install, finance and maintain, unfortunately its only when the big corporations figure out how to make money from mass installations and a automated way of collecting the excess energy and recycling it will the solar conversion really take off.

 

By that time solar conversion systems will be hot commercials, one can only imagine what kind of commercials will be aired during half time at the super bowl, I am sure they will be fun if not educational laced with many innuendoes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/tools-and-equipment-articles/todays-solar-considerations-3899735.html

About the Author

http://www.SuccessSolarGroup.org
Johnny Solar
Born in Phoenix, AZ
Solar solution developer

Energy Corporation Association
Affiliated Green Earth Guide

We stand by our network of solar companies and work to get the rates you deserve for FREE! That’s right.
No charge to submit your information. What are you waiting for? Click GET STARTED now!

go to http://www.SuccessSolarGroup.org

Online Solar Courses – Pv Courses

In the distant past, one’s occupation was rarely questioned. Men typically followed in their father’s footsteps, learning a specific skill over a life-long course. Today, men and women have every opportunity imaginable at their fingertips. Although many do follow their parents’ footsteps, most venture on a different occupation path. With this freedom comes the ability and desire to change careers. With the recent recession (2008-2010+), many individuals have lost their jobs and become confused about where to take their lives next.

One emerging industry, renewable energy, specifically solar, has claimed many individuals seeking a new career in a blooming industry. With a large workforce and little training/knowledge of solar has come the emergence of solar courses. These courses provide information and skills for individuals interested in transitioning into the solar industry.

Solar courses are courses focusing on training hard-working professionals from various industries to understand how solar works, install solar systems, sell pv solar systems, and research solar technology. Solar courses are extremely rewarding. They inspire individuals to protect the earth through sustainable energy resources, help homeowners manage large electricity bills, and alleviate the demand for energy.

While taking a solar course, students learn what a solar panel is, how to set up a solar system, solar-lighting options, solar-thermal water heating (pools and hot water), and more. Throughout the course, students receive hands-on training to perform tasks required upon graduation. By the end of the solar course, students are qualified in installation, construction, design, business-management, sales, or marketing.

Taking advantage of current technology, courses are offered both in the classroom and online. The courses vary in length, some, like Rich Hessler’s Solar Sales Training, lasts 2 days while others, like Mira Costa College’s Solar Installation Course, lasts one week.

Solar courses are being taken by both young individuals desiring a career in solar and seasoned professionals of other fields, wanting to change career paths to a new, blooming industry.

If you are interested in solar, taking a course is typically the easiest way into the industry. Do your research online or consult an individual in the field.

Solar is a blooming industry. With energy prices destined to increase as supplies continue to diminish, solar will only become more economically feasible and demanded.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/online-solar-courses-pv-courses-2035150.html

About the Author

Rich Hessler Solar - An organization that provides the elements necessary to launch or increase sales and revenue for solar businesses. We offer the latest innovative solar products, solar financing, leads, solar marketing, and business support; all the key components to starting a solar company.

Get Your Home Ready for Spring: Make Every Room Energy Efficient

Get Your Home Ready for Spring: Make Every Room Energy Efficient

“Spring has sprung” …so the saying goes. To me, this means beautiful weather and finally being able to be outdoors more. I’ve also noticed an influx of work trucks in my neighborhood. It looks like it’s also a time for home improvements. Lately, with so much emphasis on the importance of making your home energy efficient, I wondered where it is best to spend money – making home improvements or making my home more energy efficient. I read that before remodeling a home, it’s good to consider investing in making it more energy efficient. This will help save on energy use and money over the long run. However, there’s no telling how long, the “long run” will actually be. So, after doing some research, I found the best options – saving on our energy usage AND saving money too! I divided them into five categories for the rooms that my family uses most:

1. Bedroom. Even though we’re asleep, most of the time we’re in the bedroom, it is still a very important room. During the hot months, many people crank down the air conditioner just so they can be comfortable when they sleep. This wastes a lot of energy which is reflected in increased energy bills. That is where the ceiling fan comes into play. Ceiling fans help circulate cool air in the summer by pushing cooled air downward, and then you can reverse the blade direction in the winter which pushes the cool air upward, to mix with the warm air. By doing this, you’re able to be cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter while saving some energy. Plus, there are a number of models that look nice and can add a decorative touch to the room. In the summertime, just by using a ceiling fan, you can raise the thermostat around four degrees with no reduction in comfort. Quick energy saving tip: A ceiling fan cools people, not the room as it acts as a wind chill to cool the body, so leaving a fan on when out of the room does nothing but waste electricity. So, save more energy and remember to turn it (and any lights or electronics) off when leaving the room. Another easy improvement is with lighting. You may or may not know that there was a federal law that passed, which is phasing out incandescent bulbs. Starting in 2012, American manufacturers will no longer be allowed to make 100-watt bulbs and the light bulb as we know it will be replaced by compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and LEDs (light emitting diodes). So, knowing this now, could get you a head start on the movement. Yes, they don’t give off the best light, but according to the website, www.energysavers.gov, CFLs not only use about 75% less energy but they last up to 10 times longer than standard light bulbs.

2. Attic. If you’re looking for a home improvement that not only makes your home energy efficient, but you can see results instantly, then I recommend adding insulation. This project was done in our house and we saw savings on our next energy bill. Our home is older and required more insulation, so the amount of insulation needed and the energy savings you’ll see depends on how much insulation is already in your attic. Insulation helps save energy because it acts as a barrier that keeps heat in during the winter and keeps heat out during the summer. In order to maximize the efficiency of adding insulation, it’s best to air seal your attic to prevent air leaks first before adding the insulation. You can do this by caulking, sealing and weather stripping all seams, cracks and openings to the outside in your attic. The main sources of air leaks in your attic are around the chimney flashing, all ducts, the attic entrance, any recessed lighting and a dropped ceiling. Once the air leaks are filled, then it’s time to add the insulation. To determine if your home needs insulation, you can either hire a qualified home energy auditor who will do an entire home energy assessment for you or you can inspect it yourself. If you do decide to do the inspection yourself, you need to find out the following: A) where your home needs to be insulated, B) the thickness and the R-value of your current insulation and C) the type of insulation you already have. The R-value is a measurement for insulation’s resistance to heat flow and the higher the value the greater the effectiveness.

3. Kitchen. Some people consider the kitchen the “heart” of a home. The problem is that it takes a lot of electricity to keep that “heart” beating. So, an easy way to give your kitchen a facelift and make it energy efficient is to upgrade your appliances. For example, by replacing an older refrigerator with an Energy Star labeled model, you will use 40% less energy than conventional models sold in 2001 or earlier. Just think how nice your kitchen will look and how much energy (and money) you can save by replacing all your kitchen appliances with new Energy Star models. In addition to updating your appliances, you can also replace all lighting in the kitchen with CFL’s, which use less energy and create less heat, which is especially helpful when cooking during the hotter months. If you aren’t looking to upgrade your kitchen but are interested in ways to save energy and cut down on your energy bill, here are a few energy saving tips for the kitchen:
*Use pressure cookers or microwave ovens instead of the stove. They will save energy and reduce cooking time.
*If you do use the oven, try to cook several items at the same time. Also, don’t open the door to peek in; opening the door can lower the temperature inside up to 25 degrees.
*Only run a full dishwasher but be sure it’s not overloaded.
*Let your dishes air dry. There should be an automatic air-dry option but if not, then turn off the dishwasher after the final rinse and open the door to let the moisture escape.
*Allow foods to partially cool before putting them in the refrigerator since it takes more energy to cool hot food.

4. Living Room. When I think of the living room, the first things that come to mind are comfort and electronics (i.e., TV and music). So, an easy (but pricey) way to help with your energy bills is to upgrade your electronics, like your TV or sound system and make sure they are labeled, “Energy Star”. This labeling helps reduce energy consumption without reducing the quality of the product. Quick energy saving tip: Remember to turn off lights and electronic devices when not in use. Contrary to what you might expect, even in stand-by mode those items still consume electricity unless they are completely shut off. If you are looking for less expensive options, just like in the bedroom, you can adopt the same tips for the living room as well. Use/install a ceiling fan and switch to CFL lighting. Whether you work from the home, are a stay-at-home parent, or at home for any reason during the day, you may find that you spend most of your time in the living room. So keep in mind these money savings tips in your living room. Also, it can be beneficial to update your windows and doors, not only in your living room, but in all rooms throughout your home. If you have older single pane windows, chances are you have leaks in them. This is a problem because air conditioned air is escaping through the leaks and outside air is coming in through them as well. A simple fix would be to replace those windows with new, double pane windows that are much more energy efficient and labeled “Energy Star”. This method is costly, but they can add better curb appeal to your home plus can reduce air loss of up to 50%. Go to The U.S. Department of Energy’s website for information on how to choose the best window option for you. If replacing windows is not the option for you, then you can add caulk and/or a weather strip to reduce air leakage. Determine if there are air leaks entering your home by inspecting windows and/or doors to feel any air coming through. If there is, you can apply caulk to fill in the gaps. Lastly, if you do not have curtains or window coverings, it is a good idea to add them. By keeping them closed during the hottest part of the day, it will help block out the sun and keep your room cooler in the warmer months and they add a nice decorative touch.

Before I continue, I thought I’d point out that there is a 2011 tax credit for replacing windows, doors, insulation, and more with an Energy Star model. With this credit, you can get 10% of the cost of the new product, up to $500, or a specific amount from $50-$300. This credit expires on December 31, 2011 and is only applicable for updates made to an existing home that is your primary residence. This does not apply to new construction or rental properties. Go to the Energy Star Tax Credit website for more information on this tax credit.

5. Garage. The garage is probably one of the last places people think to make improvements to or make energy efficient. What many people don’t realize is the garage (especially if it is attached to the home) can be one of the largest culprits of air loss in your home. One of the easiest ways to help prevent this loss is to add a weather strip to the bottom of the garage door and the door entering your home. This prevents the outside air from coming in and the air conditioned air from escaping – and as a bonus – it acts as a cushion for the garage door, which cuts down on noise when it closes. If you feel a breeze on the sides of the garage door, you can add weather stripping tape to seal the leaks. Now, if you’re looking to increase curb appeal or just tired of your garage door altogether (or if it’s old and falling apart), you can purchase an energy efficient garage door that will look better and prevent air from leaking. Another quick fix, just like throughout the rest of the house, is to replace the garage lighting with energy efficient CFL lights. Lastly, many people have a refrigerator or freezer in the garage for extra storage. This becomes a problem if you live in an area that has extreme high and low temperatures. Keeping the fridge/freezer at the proper temperature in extremely hot weather causes it to work harder. This is tough on the appliance AND it uses more energy, which costs you more money. So, if you are set on having another fridge or freezer in your garage, then think about replacing it with a model that is built garage-friendly and can withstand extreme temperatures.

Hope these ideas work for you and happy home improvements!

Online Resources:
http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home
http://www.ehow.com/info_7981171_do-use-energy-hot-garage.html
http://www.tidbitsandstuff.com/household-tips/kitchen/171-make-your-kitchen-more-energy-efficient-save-money/
http://www.hgtvpro.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/get-your-home-ready-for-spring-make-every-room-energy-efficient-4549125.html

About the Author

Bounce Energy is a Texas Electric Company based in Houston. Bounce Energy’s goal is provide more than low Texas Electric Rates to our customers. With innovative and flexible plans, excellent customer service, and superior customer rewards, Bounce Energy offers a unique approach to Texas electricity.

How to Offset Your Holiday Energy Consumption

The holiday season is full of cheer and family togetherness. It is also a time for extra energy usage. A homeowner’s power bill can sky-rocket due to many appliances being used during the holidays. However, with a few modifications and additions, the bill might not have to be as bad as previous years.

Christmas lights are a major contributor to rising power costs during the holiday season. A homeowner can save energy and circumvent this by switching to LED Christmas lights. These lights use 90% less energy than traditional lights. Not only are LED lights better on power consumption, they are also a longer lasting option. 

Fiber Optic decorations are another cost cutting measure that can be taken to cut an electricity bill. They generally use just one light bulb to illuminate an entire area. If there are less light bulbs in use, then there is less power used. 

Everyone likes looking at the lights on the tree or the lights around the house. Christmas lights that are left on for too long can raise electricity bills. Many people tend to leave them on all throughout the day. A good rule of thumb is turning them on for 6 hours a day or only when it is dark. If it is too hard to remember to shut them off, a timer can be purchased. If the Christmas tree is illuminated then the regular household lights can be turned off. There is no need to have two light sources on when just the Christmas tree can be used and enjoyed.

Another inexpensive way to decorate and cut your energy bill is to use candles in place of electrical lights. There are extra precautions that need to be taken in order to keep everyone safe. However, candles can give a home a warm, traditional, and welcoming feeling.

Lights can inflate energy consumption. Heating can be an even bigger power drain if you use an electric heater. If there is a party in the home, the homeowner can lower the thermostat. More people in a space means more body heat, thus the ability to keep the space warmer with less energy being used. 

If there is a fireplace, it can be used to reduce energy use and heat the home. It adds a traditional feel to the home as well. 

If there are fans in the home, you can have the orientation of the fan blades switched when the cold weather starts. As the hot air from the heating source rises toward the ceiling, the fan will move it back down to where it will be of use.

When the holiday baking is being done, the baker should take advantage of the oven being hot by having one batch prepped and ready to go as the freshly baked pies or cookies come out. When baking or using the oven, if there is a dish that needs to be warmed, it can be placed near or even on the stove to take advantage of the heat coming off of it.

Another simple thing to do to reduce costs is instead of using the oven use a slow cooker, microwave, or even a pressure cooker. These appliances use much less energy than a traditional stove/oven combination.

The holiday season usually means more food. If there is more food being stored in refrigerators then this makes them run more efficiently. Keeping a refrigerator stocked means less energy, thus a lower cost to run.

Using hot water is a must and a hot water heater can be a major contributor to rising costs if you have an electric hot water heater. In order to get around this, a blanket for the hot water heater can be purchased. This provides extra insulation. Using cold water instead of hot water is another way to conserve energy. The water heater’s thermostat can be lowered to 115 degrees as well. If the hot water heater is heard turning on more frequently than normal, gaskets, faucets, and pipes should be checked for leaks. Insulation for a home’s pipes can also be purchased.

Less hot water can be used by installing low-flow shower heads. They cost around $10 to $20 each. They save 300 lbs of CO2 each year for electrical water heaters, or 80 pounds for gas-heated water. People are more likely to use a greater amount of hot water in the winter months. The holiday season is the perfect time to start making changes.

Weather proofing your home’s windows and doors is something else that can be done. If the windows and doors are not properly sealed, the heat produced is just going to escape to the outside. This means the heating source will have to work even harder to heat the home. Applying caulk or weather stripping is an easy fix.

Homeowners can also invest in energy star appliances. These appliances will save energy during the holidays and throughout the year as well. Purchasing energy star appliances may also bring a tax credit the following year when filing taxes.

Using CFL light bulbs in place of standard light bulbs is another cost cutting measure that should be taken. If a homeowner continues this practice on into the rest of the year even more money can be saved.

Entertaining during the holiday season can be very fun. There will be a lot more dishes than normal. Instead of using the dishwasher to dry, they can be air dried. 

Replacing air filters will also save energy. It is highly important in winter to maintain an effective filter. The heating unit will run more which in turn makes the need for a clean filter higher. Cleaning or replacing filters help energy consumption thus lowering the electricity bill. 

One last thing to consider is when placing lights, only use them on the inside of the home. If one chooses to decorate the outside, use lights sparingly but decorate with wreaths, garland and other non-electrical decorations.

Energy use sky-rockets to all time highs during the holiday season. A study done in 2003 performed by the U.S. Department of Energy found that Americans use roughly 2,220 GWh (gigawatt hours) of electricity each holiday season by using standard incandescent holiday lights. Small changes make big differences when combined with other small changes. It is not so hard to make an impact on ones energy consumption. 

Changing to a different light bulb, setting a timer, lowering a water heater setting, caulking a crack, or unplugging an appliance: all of these little things will make a big change to your holiday electricity bills.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/how-to-offset-your-holiday-energy-consumption-3868695.html

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Bounce Energy is a Texas Electric Company based in Houston. Bounce Energy’s goal is provide more than low Texas Electric Rates to our customers. With innovative and flexible plans, excellent customer service, and superior customer rewards, Bounce Energy offers a unique approach to Texas electricity.