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Watching Out For You
After a particularly cold October, November, the start of the heating season, was much more mild (see the NOAA temperature maps below). Prices rise this time of year because heating requirements increase. When heating requirements are minimal, as they were in November, two things happen:
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Click here to access your My Gateway account. From this link you can check your usage, see payment history and much more. |
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Holiday Creations™ Multi-Color G12 LED String
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Energy-Saving Tips
for the holidays
Whether you're Clark Griswold hoping to see your holiday lights from space or Scrooge hoping that everyone just sits in the dark, we can make your holidays a little brighter. Here are some helpful holiday cost comparisons (and safety tips) that will come in handy after you've unwound that giant ball of lights and discovered that most just don't work.
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Shop energy-smart
for the holidays
If the people on your gift-buying list this year want electronics, now is a great time to make them happy while choosing energy-efficient models and taking advantage of potential rebates.
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Watching Out For You (continued) |
1) Customers don't need or use as much gas. And 2) natural gas storage increases. Check out the chart below from the Energy Information Administration's Web site:
The general flow of this chart displays the amount of gas that suppliers have put into storage over the last two years. As you can see, storage in 2009 (represented by the red line) has increased compared with that of 2007 or 2008. Additionally, since June 2009, storage jumped higher than the 5-year average range, represented by the gray lines.
If you remember your first lesson in economics, you know that excess supply (gas in storage) means lower prices. What you may not know is that the price of natural gas is also a good indication of what electric prices will do. Right now, we're witnessing lower prices. In fact, December prices this year are nearly 56% lower than last December and 67% lower than the peak price reached in 2008.
Bottom Line for You
As a consumer, you are presented with the same dilemma as last month, and it's not whether you should get the 50'' flat-screen TV (we all know that's a great idea!). It's whether you should choose a variable rate that floats with the market or lock in a fixed-rate price for your energy. Perhaps the great Ben "Obi Wan" Kenobi would say "Let the temperature be your guide, young Skywalker." While we're not Jedi Knights, we do know this: As the temperature get colder and it's forecast to remain cold, you should think seriously about fixing your energy price now.
NYMEX Price for Natural Gas
Date
| Price
| % Change | July 3, 2008
| $13.505/dth | ----- |
April 30, 2009
| $3.25/dth | -76% | June 29,2009
| $3.94/dth | -71% | August 21, 2009
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$2.80/dth | -79% | | September 21,2009 | $3.576/dth | -74% | October 28, 2009
| $4.289/dth | -68% |
November 24, 2009
| $4.486/dth
| -67% |
Source: Energy Information Administration, Natural Gas Futures Prices (NYMEX)
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Energy-Saving Tips (continued) |
Holiday lights come in several types, and each has a specific use, power draw and cost. The most popular are mini-lights, which are generally used for tree trimming, although they can make a basement bar that much more festive too. Then there are the icicle lights, which are manufactured to look like Mother Nature's handiwork while also withstanding her fury. For added punch in your outdoor display, C7 and C9 bulbs are much larger and brighter than their mini counterparts.
Different types of lights use different amounts of energy. LEDs (light-emitting diodes) use 90 percent less energy and can last years longer than their bulb counterparts. Using 10 strings of LED lights instead of the same number of mini-lights can save you nearly $12 in one month.
Once you pick the type of lights perfect for your festivities, keep these safety rules in mind while decking those halls.
- Don't overload your circuits. Older homes can carry a maximum of 1,800 watts per circuit while newer homes can generally handle up to 2,400 watts per circuit.
- Only buy lights that carry the Underwriters Laboratories label on the box because they will meet safety requirements.
- Be sure to buy the right set for the right use, whether indoors or out.
- Check all lights, whether new or stored away from last year, for fraying wires, damaged sockets or insulation cracks. Do not use sets that are damaged.
- If decorating outdoors, use only weatherproof cords, plugs and sockets.
- Make sure that electrical connections aren't lying on the ground and, to prevent shock risks, that wiring isn't touching drainpipes and railings.
- Use a ground fault circuit interrupter on each circuit so that if current leaks through damaged wires, the lights will shut off.
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Energy News (continued) |
According to the International Energy Agency, today's power-hogging electronics pull ever-increasing amounts of electricity. PCs, iPods, cell phones, flat-panel TVs and gaming consoles are the fastest-growing users of energy demand across the planet. In America alone, the average household has approximately 25 electronic gadgets. That's potentially a lot of power you're paying for. In fact, the IEA says that gadgets account for 15 percent of household power demand, and that number is expected to triple in the next 20 years.
When you shop, look for the ENERGY STAR® logo on electronics. These gadgets meet the program's stiff requirements, meaning they are the most energy-efficient. In some areas, major retailers are offering electronics that exceed ENERGY STAR® ratings. Best Buy, Sears, Walmart, Kmart, Costco and Sam's Club participate. Check to see if your local big-box stores do.
Sears and Sam's Club both also offer trade-in programs for old and unwanted electronics. Just log on to the Web site (for Sears: http://sears.gazelle.com/ for Sam's:
www.econewonline.com/samsclub). Enter the product you want to trade in, answer a few questions about it such as condition and peripherals, and you'll get an offer. If you accept it, you'll get free shipping and handling and your electronics will be wiped of all personal data. (It's a good idea to wipe it yourself, first though.) You'll then get a store gift card in the amount of your trade-in.
Many products also come with rebates. For a list of ENERGY STAR®-approved electronics, go to the U.S. Energy Department Web site at
www.energystar.gov. Search for "rebate finder" when you're on the site.
Next month, we'll give you some specific energy-saving tips for the two biggest energy hogs in the house: your HDTVs and gaming consoles.
And don't forget, December 31 is the last day that you can buy eligible energy-saving home products.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act expanded the residential energy-efficient property credit, which equals 30 percent of the project's cost, up to a tax credit of $1,500 for the combined years 2009-2010.
Products that qualify include renewable energy products such as solar panels, water heaters, wind turbines and geothermal pumps; insulation; high-efficiency heating and air-conditioning units; water heaters and stoves that burn biomass; energy-efficient windows, skylights and doors; and some roofing material. Labor costs are also included in some of these installations, but check to be sure.
For more information, go to www.energystar.gov/taxcredits.
If you do purchase these products, save the tax credit certification statement from the packaging or go to the manufacturer's Web site to download a statement.
When filing your '09 return, use Form 5695, Residential Energy Credits, (www.irs.gov) to figure and claim your credit.
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