Power Monitors (In-Home Displays)
What is this program all about?
Electric cooperatives, with grant funding from the S.C. Energy Office and Central Electric Power Cooperative — the co-ops’ wholesale power provider — are piloting a series of energy efficiency research studies with their members. The studies will seek to determine which energy efficiency measures work best in the state’s manufactured and site-built homes that are served by co-ops.
How will it work?
Each participating co-op will accept applications from its members for its assigned research studies. Applications will be available online and in print. Many co-ops will include applications in their issues of South Carolina Living magazine. Others will distribute applications via direct mail or make them available at co-op offices. After the application period ends on May 14, 2010, a limited number of member-owned and occupied homes served by participating co-ops will be selected for each of the studies, with some of the research specifically for manufactured housing and some for site-built homes.
Why are the co-ops doing this?
As independent, not-for-profit businesses owned by their members, co-ops are different. Their mandate is to provide affordable and reliable power to the people they serve, and look out for the best interests of their member-owners. As the economy struggles to recover, the co-ops and their members continue to face real challenges. More members are joining the co-ops every day, increasing demand for power across the state. Wholesale energy costs are expected to continue to rise worldwide, and anticipated federal climate change legislation could force consumer costs even higher. The simplest and cheapest way to address these challenges is for S.C. co-op members to start using energy more wisely and efficiently at home.
Which S.C. electric co-ops are participating in the Power Monitors Program?
Participating co-ops include Edisto, Fairfield, Laurens and Pee Dee.
How will homes be selected?
Members must complete an application to be considered for program selection. Depending on the program, only S.C. co-op members who live in a site-built or manufactured home are eligible to be chosen for these studies. Since each study targets either site-built or manufactured homes, not all homeowners who apply will qualify for their co-op’s program(s). Expert panels, including co-op staff, will choose a designated number of homes for each study based on research requirements, how well the home matches the specific program needs and other factors as outlined in the rules.
What if my home is picked for one of the studies?
The designated energy efficiency measure for that study will be applied in your home in 2010 at no cost to you. Once you sign the final agreement to participate, the co-ops will collect energy use data before and after installation so that they can later gauge the effectiveness of the measure.
Do I have to own my home?
No. For this program you need only to be a member in good standing with your local cooperative and reside at the current address for the past two years. We will give preference to all-electric homes.
How can my lifestyle affect my utility bills?
Whether in or away from your home, you have a major impact on your home energy consumption. However, current utility bills usually only summarize energy costs and consumption for the prior month. This does not adequately help you understand how you impact energy cost and consumption in your home.
What is a Power Monitor / In-Home Display (IHD) / Energy Monitoring Unit?
It is a small display unit that can be mounted on a wall, placed on a counter or made accessible from a desktop computer. The display provides information on current and historic home energy use. The IHD also can present information on costs, carbon footprint, system peak alerts from your co-op and other energy metrics. The information is sent to the display unit from sensors located in your electric panel, from the home utility meter, or from your co-op’s communications infrastructure. With some applications this information can be sent to Web browsers and cell phones. Some IHDs can even control appliances in the home such as water heaters and air conditioning units.
How does an IHD help me save money?
The unit records how much electric energy you use. From this you can learn how your lifestyle affects your electric bill. You will learn how to control the energy you use through the awareness the IHD unit provides. You will become more responsible for managing your utility bill costs.
Will my power bill go down?
That depends entirely on you. An IHD is a tool for you to use in accessing and controlling your electric energy use. Your actions determine whether your energy consumption goes down.
Is the IHD easy to use?
Yes, we will provide training and instructions on how to operate the unit as well as how to understand the energy saving opportunities it helps identify.
Who owns the IHD?
Your local electric cooperative owns the in home display equipment. At the end of the study, which ends September 30, 2011, we may elect to collect the equipment or leave it with you.
What kind of information are you looking for in this study?
We will compare your whole house electric use before and after installation of the IHD. We hope the availability of this information allows you to reduce your overall energy consumption.
How much will this cost me?
The IHD will cost you nothing. We ask that you are an active participant in this study taking full advantage of the information that the IHD provides and working with us to evaluate this emerging technology.
What is my role in this pilot program?
In addition to giving us permission to have access to your electric energy consumption, you will be asked to provide information on your home and electric consumption, give us access to your home for the assessment and improvements, and fill out questionnaires before, during, and at the end of the study. Even though the study officially ends September 30, 2011, we will continue to monitor your electric consumption. |
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