Homeowners Using CE To Cut Energy Costs: CEA
By TWICE Staff -- TWICE, 4/15/2009
Arlington, Va. -Homeowners are factoring energy efficiency into purchase decisions of consumer electronics in an effort to reduce home energy costs, according to a new study from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA).
The study, Home Technologies and Energy Efficiency: A Look At Behaviors, Issues and Solutions, finds increasing consumer interest in the energy efficiency benefits of consumer electronics products, including do-it-yourself solutions and professionally installed home technologies.
Consumers are more likely to turn to smart energy meters than home energy audits to reduce energy consumption. In the past two years, about one in 10 households conducted a home energy audit. Of those who had undergone an audit, 61 percent replaced appliances or CE devices with more energy efficient models. Fifty-six percent of consumers show interest in “smart energy meters” that provide information on optimum times to run appliances for utility bill savings.
CEA finds that 57 percent of consumers believe an equal mix of behavioral changes and the use of new technology will help them conserve household energy. On average, consumers said they would need to see a 31 percent increase in their monthly home energy costs before they would seek out technology options to improve energy efficiency within the home.
“The possibility of another rise in home energy costs provides CE manufacturers and electronic system contractors the opportunity to educate homeowners on technology and systems that maximize home energy efficiency,” stated Chris Ely, CEA senior research analyst.
“Consumers are first turning to home improvement stores and utility companies for solutions. CE manufacturers of energy efficient products and systems should look for ways to increase their presence and work with these outlets to improve consumer awareness.”
Home Technologies and Energy Efficiency: A Look At Behaviors, Issues and Solutions (April 2009) was fielded in December 2008. The complete study is available free to CEA member companies. Non-members may purchase the study for $699 at myCEA.CE.org.
Chris Ely will discuss the study in further detail in an exclusive webcast at 2PM (ET) on Thursday, April 16. To register for the webcast or for more information, please email Steve Kidera at skidera@CE.org .
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You bet - I have been told by 4 employees of Southern California Edison
that if people weren't cutting back on use so much they would not have to
get the PUC to raise the rates as much. Is this what any of us thought
would happen as we're working a second job to pay for all of these energy
efficient appliances? The last SCE supervisor I complained to (in March
2009) acted as though I were an idiot for not realizing that of course they
would raise the rates if people used less! They're certainly not going to
cut back. I wonder who they think will pay their bills when all of us go
broke?
Barbara - 2009-20-4 23:39:00 EDT -
Barbara,
A scam? Imagine how high your rates would be if you didn't reduce your energy consumption.
Steven - 2009-20-4 13:04:00 EDT -
This is a big scam! You use less electricity and the PUC raises the rates.
We have replaced EVERY appliance in our home (all TVs, tankless water
heater, refrigerator, dishwasher, range, microwave, refrig/freezer, air
conditioner, heater, garage door opener, 95% of the light bulbs, many
light fixtures, garbage disposer, all outdoor lights, unplug most
chargers unless we're charging something, etc.) over the last 4 years
with "energy star" appliances that purportedly use at least 30% less
energy than the models we were replacing (which were all less than 10
years old). Our gas bill went down by half, but our electric bill is even
higher!
When I complete the electric company's online household survey I'm
told there's nothing we can improve. When I call to complain I'm
assured that our electric consumption is indeed down 40% over the last
3 years, but the PUC keeps raising the rates!
So we sit in the dark every evening, use our heater 15 minutes at a
time, sweat out the summer, never turning on our air conditioner - for
what? Yeah it's great to live in a country where I have the opportunity
to own all of these luxury items, but don't dare use them as the PUC
keeps okaying rate increases as punishment for all of this conservation.
What did I hear the "P" in PUC stands for? They don't care either.
Barbara - 2009-16-4 11:37:00 EDT
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