The
average annual electricity consumption for a U.S. residential utility customer
is approximately 900 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month. The national average
retail price for electricity is about 11 cents per kilowatt hour. We spend
about $100 a month, per household, on electricity.
The average annual electricity consumption for a
U.S. residential utility customer is approximately 900 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per
month. The national average retail price for electricity is about 11 cents per
kilowatt hour. We spend about $100 a month, per household, on electricity. For
many people, the amount of electricity consumed to heat, cool, illuminate, and
run appliances is a complete mystery. Studies have proved that knowing how much
is being used, at any given moment in time, is a very effective way to get
people to reduce and conserve. These studies reveal that when consumers can see
how much energy is being used, a reduced consumption in the order of between 8
to 25 percent is realized. That adds up to a savings of $100 to $300 per year
for the average American.
With a modest investment of around $200, consumers can purchase energy
monitoring equipment that shows exactly how much electricity is being used in
the home and for what. This has allowed hundreds of thousands of utility
customers to easily identify sources of excess consumption and waste due to
behavior, poorly calibrated equipment, inefficient appliances, and less-than-optimal
settings.
THE ELECTRICITY WE USE
According to a 2008 U.S. Energy Information Administration census, the Top 5
uses of electricity in an average U.S. residence are: see graph on page
44.
Of course, these percentages can vary widely from home to home depending on
climate, available energy sources, home size, and number of occupants. The
category that caught my attention, though, was the largest: “miscellaneous,” at
a whopping 18.5 percent. This is alarming to me because I believe that most of
us have no idea what goes into that number. And it is this number that a home
electricity monitoring system may have the greatest impact over. Identify the
source of the miscellaneous uses, and it is likely that many of them can be
reduced or eliminated.
A massive study undertaken by the Electric Power Research Institute titled
“Residential Electricity Use Feedback: A Research Synthesis and Economic
Framework,” concludes that human beings modify their behavior to conserve
energy used simply by being able to see their real-time energy use. It is
because of studies like this that utility companies are investing in energy
monitoring equipment for residential customers and providing them at a reduced
cost, and oftentimes free of charge.
THE ENERGY DETECTIVE
Arguably one of the most sophisticated and useful of the available home energy
monitoring devices is The Energy Detective or TED, made by a company Energy
Inc. Introduced only a few years ago, several updates and improvements have
been made that make this device a must-have for anyone interested in saving
electricity at home. TED 5000, the latest and greatest version, is very simple
to install and to operate. The device has three main hardware components. One
connects to a home’s electrical panel, one plugs into an electrical receptacle
and a wireless router, and one displays the data. There are no batteries to
replace, and nothing to have to tweak or calibrate.
Software is preloaded into the device that allows users to identify the largest
of the electrical consuming widgets in the home, and then lets the user know
when each of them is on, and how much power each is using. The software also
allows the user to input any rate charge structure be it flat, tiered, or peak
and non peak rates. This information is used to display the amount of money
being spent for the electricity being used. It is a very powerful
behavior-modification tool. Users can also have the data sent to an iPhone of
iTouch for remote viewing of the home’s electricity usage.
Google has recently partnered up with Energy Inc. and provides a link from TED
5000 to user’s gmail account for a remote display on any computer monitor
connected to the Internet. Called the Google Powermeter, it is the first step
in an ambitious plan by Google to remotely monitor, and eventually control,
devices that use energy and water. Google has also aligned itself with a
competitor to TED 5000 called Current Cost, giving consumers two devices to
choose from.
TED 5000 can also be connected to a home’s renewable energy generation
equipment. Solar photovoltaic panels and wind turbines that are net metered can
also be tied into the TED 5000 devices to show a user how much energy is being
generated, how fast the meter is turning backwards, and how much money is being
saved at any point in time.
USING ENERGY MONITORING EQUIPMENT TO SAVE
ENERGY
One user reported a $50 savings in the first month after TED was installed. He
realized the savings by turning off the many computer systems, peripherals, and
battery backup systems connected to the computer systems. He used TED to
pinpoint this huge source of electricity use in his home by turning each one on
and off and checking the real-time TED electricity use
monitor.
A group of college students sharing an apartment unit in California were spared
from having to pay an electric bill many times more than normal using an energy
monitoring system. Unbeknownst to the utility company, the apartment manager
had installed energy monitoring devices on all of the unit electrical panels.
The students returned from a school break to find a $400 electricity bill, even
though no one had occupied the unit the previous month. A quick check of the
energy monitor data showed a $360 dollar discrepancy between the billed amount
and the actual electricity used. Once shown the data from the monitor, the
utility company retracted the bill (with no explanation and no
apologies).
A common discovery among energy monitor users is how much electricity a water
heater can use. One user noticed a huge spike in electricity consumption every
time his wife washed her hands. His wife believed in using the hottest water
she could stand to wash her hands, and did so quite thoroughly. The home’s
water heater was set at such a high temperature that even the slightest amount
of hot water use engaged the heating element. Reducing the temperature setting
of the water heater saved 20 percent in electricity use, without hampering the
wife’s desire to wash her hands the way she liked.
Many users immediately identify several “ghost” or “phantom” loads in their
homes upon installation of home energy monitors. Many electrical devices that
are “off” continue to draw small amounts of electricity. Things like computers,
stereo equipment, DVDs, televisions, and microwaves continue to consume power
even when off. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 75 percent of the
electricity that powers home electronics is consumed while these devices are
turned off.
CONCLUSION
Home energy monitoring certainly seems like a no-brainer for anyone interested
in saving money by reducing electricity use. Because the devices are relatively
inexpensive, payback periods for most will be quick. With the backing and
support of behemoths like Google and Apple, devices like TED 5000 will only get
better, include more and more features, and become more widespread in use. I
could find no reference to energy monitoring devices in any green home rating
system, but I would expect that oversight to be corrected very soon. The
devices can also be used for small commercial buildings, and could satisfy
requirements for commercial green building rating system points available for
energy measurement and verification. The future looks very bright indeed for
energy management and monitoring equipment! W&C
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