Energy Conservation                                                                    

I'm sure that all of you have heard the terms "energy efficiency" and "energy conservation" for quite some time but now more than ever, these terms are attracting more attention from home owners and businesses alike.  One of the most difficult tasks for anyone desiring to consume energy more efficiently is to determine what construction methods and appliances are worth the additional initial investment and prove to save money over the long run by using energy more efficiently.

In order to assist people with these decisions, SouthEastern Illinois Electric Cooperative sponsored a Residential Energy Workshop at the Williamson County Pavilion in Marion, Illinois on March 6th.  The guest speaker at this workshop was Mr. Doug Rye, a nationally recognized energy consultant who some of you may know as the "King of Caulk and Talk" and the "Roy Rogers of Energy".  There were approximately 95 attendees at this workshop who listened to Doug speak about various methods and improvements that can be made in existing homes and new home construction including insulation practices, energy efficient heating and air systems, water heaters, caulking, air infiltration and attic insulation.  Those in attendance learned various ways to improve new home construction and modify existing homes in order to consume energy more efficiently and ultimately conserve energy.

During this seminar, Doug Rye discussed the significance in selection and application of major appliances including heating/cooling systems and water heating systems.  He discussed the relatively low energy efficiency of gas hot water heaters versus electric hot water heaters stating that at best, most gas hot water heaters are only 57% efficient.  Doug also commented on the extremely efficient geo thermal heating/cooling systems that are available today.  The geo thermal systems have efficiencies of approximately 400% and can also be used in conjunction with electric hot water heaters to not only heat and cool your home, but assist with heating your water as well.

Your Cooperative has been informing its members about the high efficiency geo thermal systems for years.  The most significant obstacle in selecting geo thermal systems for your heating/cooling needs is the initial investment.  The actual cost of geo thermal systems varies somewhat depending on the application but as a "rule of thumb", geo thermal systems cost approximately $5,000 per ton in residential applications.  Although the initial investment is significant, these systems often prove to be more economical over the life of the unit as compared to competing technologies.  Your Cooperative also offers a $400 rebate to members who choose the geo thermal systems and also provide a $200 rebate to the contractor who actually installs the geo thermal system.  Please call your Cooperative to claim these rebates if you decide to install a geo thermal system.

Your Cooperative is a strong advocate of energy efficiency and energy conservation.  By making some improvements in an existing home or new home construction, many have an opportunity to apply more energy efficient construction standards and appliances that will result in consuming energy more efficiently, conserving more energy and ultimately saving members money.

See you next month and as always, "We'll keep the lights on for you."