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Renewables made up more than 17 percent of net U.S. electricity generation in 2018, with the bulk coming from hydropower (7.0 percent) and wind power (6.6 percent)
Solar generation (including distributed) is projected to climb from 11 percent of total U.S. renewable genreation in 2017 to 48 percent by 2050, making it the fastest-growing electricity source.
Globally, renewables made up 24 percent of electricity generation in 2016, much of it from hydropower (16 percent)
You can save lots of energy and money by turning down your thermostat when you are away from your home or asleep. Installing a programmable thermostat will allow you to adjust the times you turn on your heating to a pre-set schedule. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a common misconception associated with thermostats is that the furnace works harder than normal to warm a space back up to a comfortable temperature after the thermostat was turned down. However, the lower the interior temperature, the slower there is heat loss so you save energy by not having your thermostat at a higher temperature.
Warming up any room or household with an electric space heater is going to use a ton of energy. Most portable electric heaters use at least 1,000 watts of energy. If we use a 1,000-watt electric heater with our current electric rates for 8 hours a day for 31 days (1 month) it will cost approximately $50 on your electric bill.
LED light bulbs use up to 80% less energy than incandescent lighting. LED’s can also last up to 25,000 hours compared to 1,200 hours that an incandescent light bulb lasts. An LED bulb uses 8.8 watts of energy instead of 60-watts. When we calculate the energy cost of an LED bulb used for 8 hours a day for 31 days under our current rates, it costs 43 cents on your electric bill compared to an incandescent 60-watt bulb which
It’s easy to grab a pack of incandescent lights at the store when it has a way cheaper price tag than the LED bulbs. In an incandescent bulb the emission of light is caused by heating a wire filament – this is why they use so much more energy than an LED bulb which has an electric current pass through a microchip to illuminate the light.
From programmable coffee pots to cook tops, we have access to a variety of appliances these days. When buying appliances or products look for the ENERGY STAR® label to know that it provides the best energy efficiency. You can also visit www.energystar.gov to find lists of the most energy efficient products among appliances such as washers, dryers, refrigerators, ceiling fans, electronics and much more.
Remember how we said heat is one of the biggest consumers of energy? While it’s hard to beat the convenience of a programmable coffee pot that will stay on for four hours it can cut hard into your electric bill. With an average use of 900 watts, a 12-cup programmable coffee maker left on for four hours a day for 31 days under our current electric rates would be $22.20 on your bill. You can reduce your energy use by pouring your coffee into a thermos once it has finished brewing and turning the coffee pot off.
