Want to save energy, save money on your power bill and help shrink South Carolina’s carbon footprint?

The S.C. Energy Office and Central Electric Power Cooperative, your co-op’s wholesale power provider, are giving a limited number of co-op homeowners an opportunity to participate in energy efficiency research studies that will help determine which measures work best in the state’s homes. The goal is to make co-op homes across the state more energy efficient, reducing how much fossil fuel is used to generate electricity and postponing the need to build new power plants.

Appliances and home electronics in a typical U.S. home are responsible for about 20 percent of energy bills. Switching to more energy efficient appliances makes sense and saves dollars.

If selected for this study, you will receive two ENERGY STAR® appliance upgrades from a limited selection of water heaters, refrigerators, clothes washers, dishwashers and freezers. All new appliances will be white in color. Existing appliances will be removed and recycled. Installation of the new appliances is free to participating homeowners, with data on energy use collected before and after the upgrades.

If you own a manufactured home and you’re a member of Coastal, Marlboro, Palmetto, Tri-County or York Electric Cooperative, you’re eligible to apply for this study. Read about other eligibility requirements and rules for applying online or call 803-739-5066 to request a printed copy.

Members selected to participate by their electric cooperative will be notified by July 25, 2010.