Energy Conservation Quiz

Test your energy efficiency knowledge by taking our quiz. Answers will be posted next week. Good Luck!

1) Which uses the most energy in homes each year?
a. Refrigerator
b. Heating and cooling
c. Water heater
d. Light bulbs

2) What temperature should your refrigerator be at to ensure safety and efficient operations?
a. 37°F
b. 52°F
c. -32°F
d. 10°F

3) A Compact Fluorescent Light bulb uses ___% less energy than a typical incandescent bulb.
a. 25%
b. 50%
c. 75%
d. 95%

4) An electrically heated house has to be better insulated than a home heated with oil or gas. True or False

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

6) The cost of heating water for you home may amount to as much as what percent of your entire utility bill?
a. 5-10%
b. 15-20%
c. 25-30%

7) What label is a sign of energy efficient appliances and homes?

8) A cell phone charger is using electricity when it’s plugged in but not charging the phone. True or False?

9) Turn off computers when not in use. Did you know that a laptop uses __% less energy than a typical desktop?
a. 15%
b. 50%
c. 75%
d. 90%

Dominion Green Power - 2009 Recap

On behalf of Dominion, I would like to thank every one of our Dominion Green Power participants for a successful 2009.

Since our launch on January 1, 2009, more than 6,000 homes and businesses joined the Dominion Green Power program. These participants collectively supported 23 million kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity in 2009! This is equivalent to avoiding 36 million pounds of carbon emissions, which is like taking 33,600 cars off the road for a year.

The Dominion Green Power team worked hard to promote this program, and the numbers show. But the team who makes the biggest difference is you, the participants. Your participation is what helped make this program so successful in its first year.

Also in the first year, the program received Green-e certification from the independent, non-profit Center for Resource Solutions. This certification ensures that all Dominion Green Power purchases meet the strictest environmental and consumer protection standards in the industry.

The program’s first year certainly was a remarkable success by any measure. However, the program is still relatively new. Our friends working on the Dominion Green Power team need your help in getting the word out to get even more renewable energy on the grid. Please encourage your friends, family, and co-workers to participate. After all, more people participating in Dominion Green Power means more renewable energy development.

To learn more about how you or someone you know can make a powerful difference please visit http://www.dom.com/VaGreenPower or call 1-888-667-3000.

Save Money On Energy Bills And On Taxes

We’ve reminded you in past posts about energy saving tips and how they can turn into savings on your taxes. Here is some new information for 2009 taxes:

• Tax credits are available at 30% of the cost or up to $1,500.
• You will still submit Form 5695 to claim all the energy investment specifics. Then transfer that figure to your 2009 1040 form on line 52.
• What products or improvements are eligible? Pretty much any substantial improvement that would help make your home more energy efficient will likely qualify. Improvements like adding insulation, installing more efficient heat pump, updating a water heater, installing windows and doors or even going the renewable route with geothermal heat pumps and solar water heaters qualify.
• Or perhaps you invested in an energy efficient gas sipper in 2009 and went the hybrid route. If so, check out tax incentives for vehicles as well.
• If you are a business owner, the government has options for you as well.
• The IRS has more information and tips as well. You can also consult your local tax accountant.
  

Discounted Holiday LEDs

What’s the best way to start energy conservation in 2010? - By finding great deals!

Conservation is in full swing for 2010. At Dominion, we have lots up goodies up our sleeve for this year and can’t wait to get started!

But before we get too far into 2010, why not snatch some goodies from 2009? The 2009 holiday season has recently wrapped up, but there are still great deals to be found.

One of the best deals that people are finding includes major discounts on LEDs. It’s a smart idea to go out to the store and grab what you will need for the 2010 holidays and stash them away, while enjoying a hefty 30% discount. Here’s a 17.5 ft multi-color strand of LEDs for $11.99. LEDHolidayLighting.com is also known for fantastic discounts and clearance items in January.

When searching for a great deal, don’t forget about your local hardware store trying to clear shelf space for new items, resulting in discounted items for you!

As we all know, LEDs are fantastic because they’re extremely efficient, have a really long lamp life, and are really bright.

To learn about holiday light year round, you can always check out our holiday lighting calculator.