To Kill A Kilowatt And Produce A Cleaner One, Part II

Strike up a two kid band, announcing the lowest personal household power bill yet!  This month our home of two adults and two children reached a new kilowatt low of 363KWH for the month.

Historically speaking of the kilowatt, following a 60 year-period of surplus electricity, Seattle City Light went into a period of promoting conservation of electricity with the slogan line of "Kill-A-Watt" in 1973.  So this month marks another month in a trend of killing a watt or two in our home.  Almost becoming a game to us - up the conservation ante by adding a LED light here, an Energy Star appliance there, seeing how many more loads of laundry we can hang dry in a month and then - waiting.  Waiting to see what a difference it makes in the bill.  In our most recent round of the conservation game, this translated to a bill total of $40.67.

Have you been killing a watt in a similar conservation game?  What methods have you tried?

Good news for the environment too.  In today's climate changed reality, less use of electricity DOES mean using less CO2 promoting fuel mix.  Which is significant for those living in PSE Utility country!

Currently our household's utility has 50% of its electricity "fuel-mix" from renewables like Hydropower.  This source does not contribute to climate change, wahoo for that!  Although, the flip side is the other 50% of the fuel mix comes from Non-Renewable Fossil Fuels.  "Nationally, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion represented the largest source (78%) of total GWP-weighted emissions from all emission sources in 2010."  Yikes!  So how to close this gap up so it is even more from renewables?

In our local areas case - roof-top photovoltaics!

It is a critical time to be looking at these alternative energies and a FASCINATING time!  The technology is changing so rapidly.  Solar panel efficiencies have increased enough now that the power received from them is much more than the power used in manufacturing them!  Also, the Return on Investment (ROI) is down to 5 to 10 years for home owners!  Soak up that PNW sunshine with that bottom line!

According to Keith Hughes, owner for West Seattle Natural Energy who came and did a solar energy evaluation for our rooftop in May, the numbers we are looking at are like these:

For an average household energy use we are looking at a 12-panel system.

Upfront cost.................$11,600
Federal tax credit............$3,480
New installation price.....$8,120

Savings (less money going to PSE each year.) $395
Rebate (15cents for 7 years) or                         $570
Annual savings til 2020 ...................................$965 *

*ideal for West and South facing roofs with minimal shading.

These numbers turn a ROI to 7 years.  7 years!

Financially, to make that number even better, one could have WA manufactured Solar Panels installed and that would bring that number down to 5.5 years.  5.5 years and the installation and price of the panels is paid off!

Will we make this next step?  Would you?

Part I of blog