Energy Efficiency and Renewables

The household energy consumption of the average household can contribute to as much as 12% of total household emissions! Luckily, there are steps you can take to drastically reduce the carbon intensity of your home.

Understand Your Energy Usage

Understanding where your energy is being used is the first step toward saving money and reducing the emissions associated with energy consumption. Click below to find out more information.

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Check out this Energy Upgrade California Home Energy Assessment page that connects you with your utility, to provide an analysis of your home energy bill. From there, your utility provider can make recommendations and offer rebates to improve the energy efficiency of your home or apartment.

You can also check out additional measures from this article on 12 Useful Tips to Save Energy

Lighting

Incandescent light bulbs (traditional) give off as much as 90% of their energy as heat. If there are incandescent light bulbs in your home, stop trying to use them as heating, and install LEDs! Click below for more information on how to provide better lighting options for your home - and save money.

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Light Emitting Diodes (or LEDs) are light bulbs or fixtures that produce light using significantly less energy than a traditional (incandescent) or halogen light bulb.

LEDs come in a variety of different colors (measured in Kelvin) ranging from “warm” (2200K) to “neutral” (4000K) to “daylight” (6500K).
They come in all of the standard sizes and shapes that are needed for a variety of applications, such as candle shapes for wall sconces, flood lights for recessed cans, and standard for everyday lighting.
The light output, or brightness, of an LED is measured in lumens.
LEDs are now instant on (no delay!) and come in a variety of colors. Some are even smart lights, and can change color, pattern, or be controlled remotely.

Check with your electrical utility to see if there are rebates or special deals available for purchasing advanced lighting solutions. If you purchase electricity from an investor owned utility, you can use Energy Upgrade California to connect directly to offerings.

Replacing inefficient lighting with LEDs and T8 lights can reduce the carbon footprint of an average household by up to 400 pounds (.2 tons) of CO₂e annually. Use the Household Carbon Footprint Calculator (/calculator-households-individuals) to find out what other actions can save money and lower your carbon footprint.

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Standby Power or … Vampire Loads!

Standby power is the energy used by electronics when they are plugged in, but not turned on. That’s right – your electronics still draw power, even when you’re not using them! While each individual device may not draw much power, together, your electricity bill may be as much as 10% standby power.

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Steps to reduce standby power:

Unplug devices when not in use. Unplugging devices that aren’t currently being used is a sure way to cut out additional power consumption.
Use a power strip. Using a power strip (or surge protector where applicable) makes it easier to cut the power to frequently used or hard-to-reach appliances, while reducing the chance that the plug will be damaged by frequent plugging and unplugging.
Buy ENERGY STAR. ENERGY STAR products have lower standby power requirements.
Connect it. Using smart devices such as smart switches, power strips, and smart outlets, can let you monitor energy usage, turn devices off remotely, control them with your voice, or even schedule them on and off.

Taking simple actions to eliminate standby power, such as turning off computers and monitors when not in use, can reduce the carbon footprint of an average household by up to 800 pounds (.4 tons) of CO²e annually. Use the Household Carbon Footprint Calculator to find out what other actions can save money and lower your carbon footprint.

Smart Load Management

Not all electricity is the same; different types of renewable electricity production function best at different times of day. Shifting energy intensive activities to off-peak times can reduce your carbon footprint and save you money on your bill, without impacting your quality of life. Click below to find out what you can do to shift your energy use to cheaper (and more renewable) times of the day.

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New Time of Use rates better align the carbon intensity of electricity and electricity demand with price, allowing end-users to reduce their carbon footprint and their bill.

Graphic: Time of Use rates and relationship to clean energy.

TOU rates change throughout the day, as does the proportion of clean energy being provided.

Take Action: Simple changes, like plugging in phones and running the dishwasher at night, as well as installing smart energy management devices, such as timers, connected appliances, and apps, let consumers save money while lowering carbon emissions!

Heating and Cooling

Together, heating and cooling are probably one of the largest energy expenses in your whole house. Electrifying your heating and cooling, and choosing an efficient, ENERGY STAR model will make sure you get the most heat (or cooling) for your buck. Electrification is an important aspect of reducing the carbon footprint of a home – electricity can be offset by solar PV production, and will be further reduced by the 2045 100% renewable electricity standard for the State of California.

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Energy Upgrade California’s home heating and Air Conditioners and Home Cooling pages include basic tips to maximize your savings with existing equipment, and links to utility rebates.

Minor changes like turning down the thermostat a few degrees in the winter and up a few degrees in the summer, can have a major impact on your bill, and carbon emissions, while being hardly noticeable for you and your family. Turning down the thermostat in the winter and turning it up in the summer can reduce the carbon footprint of an average household by up to 1600 pounds (.8 tons) of CO²e annually. Use the Household Carbon Footprint Calculator (/calculator-households-individuals) to find out what other actions can save money and lower your carbon footprint.

If you’re replacing heating and cooling equipment, be sure to check with your utility for rebates, incentives, and ENERGY STAR certification.

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Water Heating

After heating and cooling, water heating is likely the largest electricity expense in homes today. Make sure you’re taking these basic steps to minimize energy waste with your existing pipes and water heater, and consider solar hot water heating or a tankless water heater.

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Myth: Tankless water heaters take a long time to heat and deliver hot water to your faucet.

Fact: Tankless water heaters provide water that is just as hot, just as quickly to all parts of your home. They’ve come a long way from their early models.

Bonus: Using less hot water means less energy! Install WaterSense aerators, faucets, and showerheads to decrease your overall water usage and save money.

Replacing your inefficient water heater with an electric tankless water heater can reduce the carbon footprint of an average household by up to 400 pounds (.2 tons) of CO²e annually. Use the Household Carbon Footprint Calculator to find out what other actions can save money and lower your carbon footprint.

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Solar

Rooftop solar is a straightforward method to cut your energy bill and produce your own renewable electricity. If you own your home, have enough roof space, and have already undertaken energy efficiency measures, then solar might be the right option for you. According to Energy Sage’s latest solar estimates, a typical home in California can save from $10,000 to $30,000 over 20 years by installing solar.

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Solar Resources:

Google’s Project Sunroof will help you estimate the solar potential of your home.
Go Solar California provides resources and a five step process for finding an installer, getting rebates, and installing solar.
Make sure to get quotes from multiple installers, so that you get the best price on your new solar system. Websites like Energy Sage solicit and aggregate solar quotes for you based on information about your home.
There are a number of rebates and incentives available for installing solar. Energy Sage has a good explanation of the investment tax credit (ITC) for solar, your utility may have additional rebates, and innovative financing offerings such as Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing, Power Purchase Agreements (PPA), and traditional solar loans, make installing solar a possibility for all.

Can’t install solar on your roof? Look at your current utility – many utilities offer a 100% renewable tariff for a monthly fee.

Installing PV panels or purchasing “green” electricity can reduce the carbon footprint of an average household by up to 15000 pounds (7.5 tons) of CO²e annually. Use the Household Carbon Footprint Calculator to find out what other actions can save money and lower your carbon footprint.

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Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is not presented in a specific order. Recommendations are presented based on a combination of perceived ease of implementation and potential GHG reduction, and are subject to change at any time.