ELECTRIC EFFICIENCY TIPS
. . . .Last year Nova Scotia commissioned David Wheeler, dean of Dalhousie University’s faculty of management, to determine the most appropriate way to promote and implement energy efficiency measures in the province. Mainly, Wheeler focused on “demand side management,” which involves helping customers use less electricity.
Wheeler consulted with some 40-odd stakeholders — consumers, government, and industry representatives — and concluded the best approach would be to create an independent agency at arm’s length from the government, as opposed to having an entirely government- or utility-led initiative, as is typically done in the rest of Canada and the U.S. The provincial government announced this month it would move ahead with Wheeler’s recommendation and set up the agency by the end of next year.
The proposed model in Nova Scotia carries a number of advantages, such as increased flexibility and accountability. The agency will have performance standards, and the administrators can be removed if those goals are not met. Governments, on the other hand, may lack the technical expertise, while utilities have historically done a poor job when it comes to encouraging customers to consume less energy, according to Wheeler’s report. (Utilities are in the business of selling electricity, of course.) One potential downside, however, is Wheeler believes the new organization could have high startup costs, however, and that those costs will be covered by the ratepayers themselves.
. . . .OFTEN OVERLOOKED WHEN CONSIDERING ALTERNATE GREEN ENERGY SOURCES IS SIMPLY GREATER EFFICIENCY IN THE USE OF ELECTRICITY . . . .FOR EXAMPLE UN PLUG THE REFRIGERATOR IF IT IS ONLY USED FOR MINIMAL COLD STORAGE . . .FIND SOME STORAGE SPACE IN COOL AREA OF A HOUSE OR APARTMENT WINDOW TO STORE FRUIT AND/OR VEGETABLES,THUS AVOID THE NOISE OF A REFRIGERATOR(OR FREEZER MOTOR) AND GET A LOWER ELECTRIC BILL AS A BONUS. . . .JUST DO IT.
Wheeler consulted with some 40-odd stakeholders — consumers, government, and industry representatives — and concluded the best approach would be to create an independent agency at arm’s length from the government, as opposed to having an entirely government- or utility-led initiative, as is typically done in the rest of Canada and the U.S. The provincial government announced this month it would move ahead with Wheeler’s recommendation and set up the agency by the end of next year.
The proposed model in Nova Scotia carries a number of advantages, such as increased flexibility and accountability. The agency will have performance standards, and the administrators can be removed if those goals are not met. Governments, on the other hand, may lack the technical expertise, while utilities have historically done a poor job when it comes to encouraging customers to consume less energy, according to Wheeler’s report. (Utilities are in the business of selling electricity, of course.) One potential downside, however, is Wheeler believes the new organization could have high startup costs, however, and that those costs will be covered by the ratepayers themselves.
. . . .OFTEN OVERLOOKED WHEN CONSIDERING ALTERNATE GREEN ENERGY SOURCES IS SIMPLY GREATER EFFICIENCY IN THE USE OF ELECTRICITY . . . .FOR EXAMPLE UN PLUG THE REFRIGERATOR IF IT IS ONLY USED FOR MINIMAL COLD STORAGE . . .FIND SOME STORAGE SPACE IN COOL AREA OF A HOUSE OR APARTMENT WINDOW TO STORE FRUIT AND/OR VEGETABLES,THUS AVOID THE NOISE OF A REFRIGERATOR(OR FREEZER MOTOR) AND GET A LOWER ELECTRIC BILL AS A BONUS. . . .JUST DO IT.
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