Energy Efficiency

Why Energy Efficiency Can Put Cash Back Into Your Pocket

Energy efficiency and proper use of natural resources is one of the most talked about subjects at all levels of society. It occupies the attention of our highest government officials and is popular issue of discussion among the rank and file working members of not only American society but among people in all countries of the world. It is a matter of vital interest because on one level it diretly effects our lives and budgets when the price of gasoline and heating fuel skyrockets and on deeper levels it affects the very survival of the planet and future generations. This may sound like exaggeration, but it is not. This is also an area where more and more people are beginning to realize that there are ways they can contribute to a healthier, more energy efficient environment. In the area of manufacturing, industry has been producing better and better energy efficient appliances for many years, and the auto industry is under increasing governmental pressure to build better fuel efficient cars.

According to Wikipedia,

Energy efficiency has proved to be a cost-effective strategy for building economies without necessarily growing energy consumption. For example, the state of California began implementing energy-efficiency measures in the mid-1970s, including building code and appliance standards with strict efficiency requirements. During the following years, California's energy consumption has remained approximately flat on a per capita basis while national U.S. consumption doubled. As part of its strategy, California implemented a "loading order" for new energy resources that puts energy efficiency first, renewable electricity supplies second, and new fossil-fired power plants last.[5]

Many experts in the field believe that a policy of energy efficiency promotes a cost effective means of developing economies without necessarily incurring a spike in energy consumption. One example that illustrates this point are policies put into practice in California. The State first mandated energy efficient policies in the 1970s by instituting standards for building codes and appliances. The result is that in the years following, energy consumption in California has remained flat compared to the rest of the United States where energy consumption has doubled.

Having said this, it may not come as a surpirse to know that the majority of homes in the United States are still highly inefficient where energy consumption is concerned. Not only do people typically use incandescent light bulbs in their home, they are also careless in their use and leave lights on in rooms when no-one is using them. They will typically put far more water in a kettle than they are actually intending to use, resulting in a waste of unnecessary electrical power. Usually, the heating system will be set too high, leading to more power being used than is actually needed. All of these are simple matters to correct, and can be corrected for free, so this should obviously be done before any thought is given to spending money on saving energy.

Energy Efficiency at Home

Where homes are concerned, the highest level of efficiency is gained if you design into new homes energy efficient practice and technology. For example, the use of building materials that provide insulation and which conserve heat within a dwelling. Such a practice saves money every year and conserves fuel at the same time. In most homes, the greatest heat loss is through windows and doorways, so using the right materials for these is especially important. The government now sets standards for window glass, and insists that Low-E glass be used in all new constructions.

Even if you live in an older apartment building and do not have the option to modify your home, there is still much you can do to renovate to promote energy efficiency. If your windows are letting heat escape from the house and leading to excessive fuel bills, this can be remedied with a window replacement. Although this is a relatively expensive and time consuming job, it will save you the greatest amount of money in the long term. There are tax credits available which can help with the initial expense of having replacement windows installed, but if the job is still to expensive and difficult, storm windows can have at least a partial effect.

If the construction of your home is fundamentally sound, with insulated walls and the most energy efficient doors and windows you can fit, the amount of fuel you consume will be greatly reduced. At this level, it will be determined mainly by the energy efficiency of the appliances you use. If you can fit a heating boiler which achieves the same effect but which uses far less fuel you will be saving even more money every year. Other domestic appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and stoves can be far cheaper to run if you buy recent models as technology is constantly improving.

Again, quoting from Wikipedia,

Aggressive Energy Efficiency

One of the most extreme methods of saving money is to have solar panels fitted to your home. Although this may be an extreme tactic now, it is likely to become increasingly popular in the future as the photovoltaic panels increase in efficiency. The energy from the sun is renewable and should be used whenever it is appropriate and cost effective. Solar energy is likely to become a staple source of power in the years to come, but even now it can play a part in saving fossil fuel consumption.

Vehicles are still the most significant contributor to greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere, and though technology exists to reduce this, the industrial sector of the North America is overall slow to get on board. Under pressure from government, innovations in the automobiles are beginning to apprear, and it is now possible to purchase cars that run solely on electricity, but these are extremely limited in the distance they can cover. They are mainly used by people who live in major cities, who do most of their traveling within the city, and who are prepared to use trains to travel further afield. Electric vehicles will have a significant part to play in the future, but even now there are hybrids which are a more practical alternative.

There is more information concerning energy efficiency available today than ever before, and the vast majority of it is available for free via the Internet. Governments throughout the world are acutely aware of the importance of this issue, and have published extensive guidelines to help people conserve energy. Reading these will give you a good start in cutting down your fuel consumption and saving money at the same time, and you can then go on to deeper research to find out how you can achieve even greater savings. You can improve the quality of your life by implementing advice on energy efficiency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Articles

• Energy Efficiency
• Energy Efficient Light Bulbs
• Energy Efficient Construction
• Solar Energy Efficiency
• Energy Efficient Doors
• Energy Efficiency Jobs
• Energy Efficient Cars
• Energy Efficient Products
• Energy Efficient Refrigerators
• Energy Efficient Rebate
• Residential Energy Efficiency
• Energy Efficient House
• Energy Efficient Heaters
• Industrial Energy Efficiency
• Energy Efficient Windows
• Tax Credits Energy Efficiency
• Energy Efficiency Tips
• Energy Efficiency Program
• Energy Efficient Appliances
• Building Energy Efficiency



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