Check Out Our New Programs Coming This Summer!

Residential Home Energy Check-Up Program

• Provides owners and occupants of single family homes an easy and low cost home energy audit. It will include a walk through audit of customer homes, direct install measures, and recommendations for additional home energy improvements.

Residential Duct Testing & Sealing Program

• Designed to promote the testing and repair of poorly performing duct and air distribution systems. Qualifying customers will be provided an incentive to have a contractor test and seal ducts in their homes using methods approved for the Program, such as mastic material or foil tape with an acrylic adhesive to seal all joints and connections. The repairs are expected to reduce the average air leakage of a home's conditioned floor area to industry standards.

Residential Heat Pump Tune-Up Program

• Provides qualifying customers with an incentive to have a contractor tune-up their existing heat pumps once every five years in order to achieve maximum operational performance. A properly tuned system should increase efficiency, reduce operating costs, and prevent premature equipment failures.

Residential Heat Pump Upgrade Program

• Provides incentives for residential heat pump (e.g., air and geothermal) upgrades.  Qualifying equipment must have better Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and Heating Seasonal Performance Factor ratings than the current nationally mandated efficiency standards.

Commercial Energy Audit Program

• As part of this Program, an energy auditor will perform an on-site energy audit of a commercial customer's facility. The customer will receive a report showing the projected energy and cost savings that could be anticipated from the implementation of options identified during the audit. Once a qualifying customer provides documentation that some of the recommended energy efficiency improvements have been made at the customer's expense, a portion of the audit price will be refunded, up to the full price of the audit.

Commercial Duct Testing & Sealing Program

• Promotes testing and general repair of poorly performing duct and air distribution systems in commercial facilities. The Program provides incentives to qualifying customers to have a contractor seal ducts in existing buildings using program-approved methods, including: aerosol sealant, mastic, or foil tape with an acrylic adhesive. Such systems include air handlers, air intake, return and supply plenums, and any connecting duct work.

Commercial Distributed Generation Program

• Provides qualifying customers with an incentive to curtail load by operating customer-owned backup generation when called upon to do so up to 120 hours per year. The Program is implemented by a contractor who is responsible for installing equipment to enable remote operation and monitoring of the customer's backup generation equipment and for dispatching load curtailment events under the direction of the Company.

100+ Ways to Improve Your Electric Bill: Lighting

Welcome to the seventh portion of the series: 100+ Ways to Improve your Electric Bill.  Many of these are low cost and no cost tips, and easy to implement.

So far in the series, we have covered:

• Air Infiltration
• Heating and Cooling (Part 1 and Part 2).
• Refrigeration
• Cooking
• Water Heating   

We all turn on and off the lights each and every day, but it might be time upgrade with more efficient lights.

Enjoy!

• Provide “task” lighting (over desks, tool benches, craft tables, etc.) so that work and leisure activities can be done without illuminating entire rooms.
• Select the type of light bulb on the basis of its efficiency. Compact fluorescent bulbs will give an incandescent bulb’s warm soft light, while using 75 percent less electricity. They also last about 8 to 10 times longer. Use these bulbs in fixtures or lamps that are on for more than two hours each day.
• If you don’t like the “look” of compact fluorescent lighting, consider high-efficiency halogen lighting. For example, a 100-watt incandescent bulb can be replaced by a 72-watt or 70-watt halogen bulb. A 60-watt incandescent bulb can be replaced by a 42-watt or 40-watt halogen bulb.
• Consider using Light Emitting Diode (LED) light bulbs, especially in hard-to-reach fixtures. A 60-watt incandescent bulb can be replaced by a 12-watt LED bulb that will have a rated lifetime of more than 20,000 hours.
• Some compact fluorescent bulbs can be used with dimmer switches. Check the package to make sure they can be used with dimmers. Where possible, consider using dimmable compact fluorescent bulbs.
• The reflectance of interior surfaces has an important bearing on lighting efficiency. In home decoration, therefore, choose lighter colors for walls, ceilings, floors, and furniture. Dark colors absorb light and require higher lamp wattage for a given level of illumination. Light-colored surfaces should be kept clean to keep reflectance levels high.
• In lamps and fixtures having two or more sockets for incandescent bulbs, consider using a single large bulb in one socket rather than filling all sockets with bulbs of smaller wattage. A 100-watt bulb, for instance, produces 50 percent more light than four 25-watt bulbs for the same amount of energy. Using compact fluorescent bulbs will save more energy. Typically, a 23-watt compact fluorescent bulb can replace a 90- or 100-watt incandescent bulb.
• Many so-called “long life” bulbs emit significantly less light than a standard incandescent bulb of the same wattage. They should be used only where the long-life feature is advantageous, as in hard-to-reach fixtures, or where it is not possible to use compact fluorescent bulbs.
• When possible, locate floor, table, and hanging lamps in the corner of a room rather than against a flat wall. Lamps in corners reflect light from two wall surfaces instead of one and, therefore, give more usable light.
• Clean lighting fixtures regularly. Dust on lamps and reflectors impairs lighting efficiency.
• For large areas such as family recreation rooms, where high levels of lighting are required periodically but not 100 percent of the time, install fixtures on two or three separate circuits so illumination can be controlled by switching circuits on and off.
• When purchasing light bulbs, the wattage ratings tell you only the amount of power it takes to make a bulb work. The amount of brightness is measured in lumens. Larger wattage bulbs are usually more efficient, whether incandescent or compact fluorescent, producing more lumens per watt than smaller bulbs.

Thanks to our friends at the Edison Electric Institute for providing the list of 100+ Ways to Improve your Electric Bill.

Answers to the Pop Quiz! How did you do?

1. b - Dominion recommends setting your thermostat on 78° in the summer for maximum efficiency. 

2. c - Check and clean (or replace) your air conditioning filters each month.

3. False - Avoid setting your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner.  It will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling and, therefore, unnecessary expense.

4. b - Plant trees or shrubs to shade air conditioning units but not to block the airflow.  Place your room air conditioner on the north side of the house.  A unit operating in the shade uses as much as 10% less electricity than the same one operating in the sun. 

5. a - Dominion recommends setting your refrigerator between 36 and 39° for efficiency. 

6. d - In addition to lasting up to 10 times as long as traditional incandescent light bulbs, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) use 75% less energy. 

7. False - Consider buying a laptop for your next computer upgrade; they use much less energy than desktop computers.

8. d - You should vacuum the coils on your refrigerator at least once a year; twice if you have pets that shed.

9. True - Adding insulation to your attic is one of the most cost effective ways to improve your home’s comfort level year-round.

10. b - It takes 1 hour for a 100-watt light bulb to consume 100 watts of energy.

Pop Quiz!

Take the energy conservation quiz below to test your knowledge.  First person with 100% correct gets a free energy efficiency kit!  E-mail your answers to ECInfo@dom.com.  Answers will be posted next week!

1. What temperature should you set your thermostat at during the summer for maximum efficiency?
a)  68°
b)  78°
c)   65°
d)   72°

2. How often should you check and clean (or replace) your air conditioning filters?
a)    Annually
b)    Weekly
c)    Monthly
d)    Every 6 months

3. True or False:  Setting your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when first turning on your air conditioner will help cool the house faster.

4. An air conditioner placed in the shade uses up to ____% less electricity than the same unit operating in the sun.
a) 5%
b) 10%
c) 25%
d) Does not make a difference

5. What temperature should your refrigerator be set at for efficiency?
a) 36-39°
b) As cold as you can get it.
c) 45-50°
d) 26-29°

6. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use ____% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs.
a) 10%
b) 50%
c) 25%
d) 75%

7. True or False: A desktop computer uses less energy than a laptop.

8. How often should you vacuum the coils on your refrigerator?
a) Every day
b) Twice a week
c) Once every 2 years
d) Once or twice a year

9. True or False: Adding insulation to your attic is one of the most cost-effective ways to make your home more comfortable year-round.

10. How long does it take for a 100-watt light bulb to consume 100 watts of energy?
a) 1 minute
b) 1 hour
c) 24 hours

100+ Ways to Improve Your Electric Bill: Water Heating

Welcome to the sixth portion of the series: 100+ Ways to Improve your Electric Bill.  Many of these are low cost and no cost tips, and easy to implement.

So far in the series, we have covered:   
-    Air Infiltration
-    Heating and Cooling (Part 1 and Part 2).  
-    Refrigeration
-    Cooking

While most people view the water heater in their house to be an appliance they never touch after installed, it might be time to go check to see if your unit is at the optimal settings.

• Make sure your new water heater meets or exceeds the federal Energy Factor (EF) efficiency standard. (Examples: 0.90 EF for an electric 50-gallon unit, 0.59 EF for a gas 40-gallon unit, and 0.53 EF for an oil 32-gallon unit.)
• It is important to keep the system properly maintained. Once or twice a year, drain a bucket of water out of the bottom of the heater tank because it can be full of sediment. The sediment insulates the water in the tank from the heating element, which wastes energy.
• In addition, you might want to invest in a relatively inexpensive water heater insulation kit. Older hot water tanks (except super-insulated tanks) generally are not insulated very well, so an extra layer of protection will keep the heat from being lost through the walls of the tank. Be sure to read the instructions on the kit carefully. Do not insulate over any doors, vents, or relief valves.
• When buying a water heater, it is wise to correctly estimate your needs. Don’t buy a water heater that is too large for your family, but you should consider your future needs as well as your present requirements.
• Lowering your water heater temperature setting from 140 degrees Fahrenheit to 120 degrees Fahrenheit can reduce your water heating energy bill by more than 10 percent.
• Some water heaters now have solid state controls (such as a “vacation” setting) that allow you to lower temperature settings. Look for and take advantage of these features.
• In sprawling ranch houses or in residences with two or three levels, the rooms requiring hot water may be widely separated. It may be possible to get better hot water service with less use of electricity by having two or more water heaters - one heater in each principal water-using area - instead of one heater in a central location.
• Repair leaky faucets promptly. A steady drip of hot water can waste many gallons of water per month, plus the energy needed to heat the water.
• Letting the water run while shaving or when washing dishes by hand is needless waste. Avoid this by using sink stoppers and dishpans.
• Encourage family members to take showers rather than baths. The average person will use about half as much hot water in a shower as in a bath.
• The standby heat loss of a water heater increases with temperature. So, set the temperature control of your water heater at a moderate 120 degrees Fahrenheit, or as low as possible without running out of hot water. If you need hotter water for certain functions, such as dishwashing, consider a dual-temperature system. Such systems employ a central unit supplying 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower temperature water for general purposes, plus a second, smaller water heater set for a higher temperature.
• Locate water heaters as close to the points of hot water use as possible. The reason for this is that any hot water that remains in a supply pipe after a tap or valve is closed eventually cools off and is wasted. The longer the supply pipe, the more heat lost.
• When long lengths of hot water supply pipe are unavoidable, insulate them to reduce losses. Hardware stores sell hot water pipe insulation kits.

Thanks to our friends at the Edison Electric Institute for providing the list of 100+ Ways to Improve your Electric Bill.
   

Smart Cooling Rewards: Be Smart. Be Cool. Be Paid.

This may come as a surprise, but blogging is not the Energy Conservation Group’s main activity here at Dominion.

The Energy Conservation group is responsible for providing our customers with energy conservation programs.  It sounds much easier than it actually is.

In truth, it is a long process of finding programs that we feel are beneficial to our customers, filing for approval of the programs by the Virginia State Corporation Commission (or North Carolina Public Utilities Commission), and finally launching the programs that have been approved.

We plan for programs years in advance, and the rest of the process can take upwards of a year.

One of our programs that we launched in April 2010 is the Smart Cooling Rewards program.  It helps manage higher electrical demand in the summer and reduces the need to run peak generators or import electricity into our electrical system.  By easing the demand on the power grid, participants help control costs while maintaining reliability.

The Smart Cooling Rewards program is completely voluntary.  Customers who meet the qualifications (homeowner, central A/C or heat pump that is easily accessible, Virginia or North Carolina customer) can enroll through Dominion’s Manage Your Account (MYA) online portal or by calling 1-888-366-8280.

By enrolling in the program, participants allow Dominion to install an A/C cycling “switch” on their outside cooling system.  During periods of high electricity demand, usually the hottest days of the summer, Dominion may call a cycling “event”.

During an event a signal is sent to the switch at your home enabling the switch to cycle your cooling system’s compressor at 50% of its normal run time.  The fan will continue to run and circulate already cooled air.

Cycling “events” are limited to weekdays - typically between 2pm and 6pm during the cycling season of June 1 - September 30.  There are no weekend or holiday events.

To thank customers for participating, Dominion mails a $40 check directly to their home annually after each summer they participate.

The Smart Cooling Rewards program has had nearly 50,000 participants enroll since launching in April 2010.  By 2014, Dominion is projected to have 170,000 customers enrolled and participating in the program.

During each cycling event in 2011, participants in the Smart Cooling Rewards program reduced peak electrical demand by approximately 31 megawatts - equal to the energy demand of nearly 8,000 homes - on days when electricity demand is at its highest.

For additional program information and to enroll visit www.dom.com/smartcool or call 1-888-366-8280.

Time to Prep for the Summer Season

With high temps in the 80s over the past few weeks here in Virginia, there’s no question that Spring and Summer are on their way into the region.  And with that, it means time to get outside and start working on the house.

Cutting the grass, mulching, weed-pulling, repainting the mailbox, and cleaning your gutters are all on the high priority list.  But this year, add a few more onto the list:

• Change your air filters.
• Plant deciduous trees near your AC unit, to cool the air that your unit uses.
• Check around your house for cracks and leaks (Can you see light through the crevice around your door? You might need some weather stripping).
• Check to make sure the insulation under your house hasn’t fallen out from the floor joists.
• Clean your fan blades, and make sure the air is blowing downwards when the fan is on.
• Change your light bulbs to CFL lights (Think about all the money you can save!).
• Open your foundation vents.

And here is our popular video on Summer Energy Savings Tips.

100+ Ways to Improve Your Electric Bill: Cooking

Welcome to the fifth portion of the series: 100+ Ways to Improve your Electric Bill.  Many of these are low cost and no cost tips, and easy to implement.

So far in the series, we have covered:

• Air Infiltration
• Heating and Cooling (Part 1 and Part 2)
• Refrigeration

This piece on cooking is my favorite topic in the entire series, because these are so easy to remember and implement.  Enjoy!

Range Tops

• To cook efficiently, heat must be transferred from the electric cooking element to the food with minimum loss to the surroundings. To help do this, select pots and pans with absolutely flat bottoms. Spherical bottoms leave an air gap that provides a ready escape route for heat.
• Expand your family’s menus to include stews and other single-dish meals that can be prepared in a slow cooker. Such meals require far less energy than those calling for the simultaneous use of the oven plus two or three surface units.
• Based on DOE data, typical gas cook-tops are 15.6 percent efficient, while electric coil cook-tops are 73.7 percent efficient, and electric smooth cook-tops are 74.2 percent efficient.
• Develop the habit of “lids-on” cooking. Tightly fitted lids help keep heat within pots and pans, permitting the use of lower temperature settings and shorter cooking times.
• Reflector pans beneath stove-top heating elements should be kept bright and clean. Shiny pans help to focus heat rays on utensil bottoms; dull or soiled pans absorb heat wastefully.
• Begin cooking on highest heat until liquid begins to boil. Then lower the heat control setting and allow food to simmer until fully cooked.

Ovens

• Use your microwave oven whenever possible. Microwave ovens draw less than half the power of their conventional counterparts and cook for a much shorter period of time. For example, an item that needs to be cooked in a full-sized oven at 350° F for one hour will take only 15 minutes to cook in a microwave on the “high” setting.
• Rather than using the oven for preparing small quantities of food, consider cooking in small portable electric appliances such as a frying pan, grill, or toaster oven. On average, these use only about one-third of the electric power of an oven broiler.
• When operating an electric oven, attempt to cook as much of the meal in it at one time as possible. Foods with different cooking temperatures can often be cooked simultaneously at one temperature -  variations of 25 degrees in either direction still produce good results and save energy.
• When preheating an oven for baking, time the preheat period carefully. Five to eight minutes should be sufficient. There is no need to preheat for broiling or roasting.
• Rearrange oven shelves before turning the oven on. To do this after the oven has preheated not only allows wasteful escape of heat, but poses a burn hazard as well.
• According to DOE data, standard gas ovens are 2.98 percent efficient. Electric ovens are 10.7 percent efficient. Microwave ovens are 55.7 percent efficient, or almost 19 times more efficient than gas ovens.
• When roasting or baking, avoid making frequent progress checks that involve opening the oven door. Each time the door is opened, a considerable portion of the oven’s heat escapes.

Thanks to our friends at the Edison Electric Institute for providing the list of 100+ Ways to Improve your Electric Bill.

100+ Ways to Improve Your Electric Bill: Refrigeration

Welcome to the fourth portion of the series: 100+ Ways to Improve your Electric Bill.  Many of these are low cost and no cost tips, and easy to implement.

So far in the series, we have covered Air Infiltration and Heating and Cooling (Part 1 and Part 2).   Today we have some tips on Refrigeration:

• Select refrigerator and freezer sizes that are just large enough for your family’s needs. Energy usage is proportional to cubic feet of refrigerated space, regardless of whether all of the space is utilized.
• Consider replacing your refrigerator or freezer BEFORE it breaks down. Look for the ENERGY STAR® label when shopping for refrigerators or freezers. On average, ENERGY STAR® refrigerators use 15 to 20 percent less energy. 
• NEVER put a second refrigerator in the garage. In the winter months, frozen foods may melt (as the temperature sensor in the refrigerator will not activate the compressor if the temperature in the garage is 42° F or lower). In the summer months, the temperature in the garage can easily exceed 100° F, and the refrigerator has to work extra hard to keep food cold. If you need a second unit, place it in your basement.
• On older units, vacuum clean the condenser coils of refrigerators and freezers (in the back or at the bottom of cabinets) every three months or so. Dust-covered coils impair the efficiency of compressor operation and increase energy usage.
• Door gaskets on refrigerators and freezers should seal tightly against the frames to prevent infiltration of warm air. To check the condition of the gasket, place a dollar bill against the frame and close the door. If the bill can be pulled out with a very gentle tug or, worse still, simply drops out on its own, the door requires adjustment or the gasket needs to be replaced.
• Some older refrigerators are furnished with a power-saver switch. A heating element provides a small amount of heat that prevents moisture condensation around the edges of the door. Try turning the switch off; condensation, if any, may be slight and unobjectionable. If this is the case, save energy by keeping the switch turned off.
• When buying a new refrigerator, look for new energy-saving features such as improved insulation materials. These features can save as much as 10 percent in annual consumption of electricity.
• Do not place uncovered liquids in refrigerators. In addition to absorbing undesirable flavors, the liquids give off vapors that add to the compressor workload.
• Allow hot foods or liquids to cool off before placing them in the refrigerator. The cooling-off period should not hurt the taste of the food and will reduce the load on the refrigerator. Discard any uncooked food that has remained at room temperature for more than two hours. Plan ahead and remove all ingredients for each meal at one time. Each time the door of a refrigerator or freezer is opened, its compressor has to run a bit longer to replace the cold air that spills out.
• Chest-type freezers are less likely to lose cold air when doors are opened than upright freezers.
• For the same storage capacity, chest-type freezers use anywhere from 11 to 27 percent less energy than upright freezers.

Thanks to our friends at the Edison Electric Institute for providing the list of 100+ Ways to Improve your Electric Bill.

Proposed New EC Programs for VA

In addition to our current four programs available in Virginia (Smart Cooling Rewards, Home Energy Improvement, HVAC Rewards (Commercial) and Lighting Rewards (Commercial)), Dominion filed for six additional programs in September 2011 with the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

From the date of the filing, the SCC has eight months to determine if we can offer these new programs to our customers.

As part of this process, there is a hearing for Dominion and interested parties/stakeholders to support or object the passing of these programs.

The hearing began March 6 and will likely continue through March 8.  You can listen to the hearing at: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case/hrg_live.aspx.

Here's a description of the proposed programs.

You can also check out our current programs at: www.dom.com, search “energy conservation”.