Be a PeakBuster
- If you have a central air conditioner, enroll in your municipal utility or Hydro One’s peaksaver program. Click here for details on current programs.
- If you use air conditioning, keep your thermostat set to 26 degrees; use a programmable thermostat to ensure you’re not chilling an empty house; and use natural cooling like blinds and cross ventilation as much as possible.
- If you are purchasing or replacing an air-conditioner, be sure to purchase a unit with an EnergyStar label. Make sure to size the unit properly – an oversized unit will just waste energy and won’t keep you any cooler. Find out more at www.electricitychoices.org/airconditioning.html. You could qualify for an up to $550 rebate from the Conservation Bureau of Ontario if you choose a high efficiency unit. See www.coolsavingsrebate.com for details.
- Get a home energy check up through the federal government's ecoENERGY home energy assessment program. You could qualify for a grant to help offset the cost of energy efficiency improvements. Find out more from Green Communities Canada. And remember, many of these home improvements also qualify for the federal Home Retrofit Tax Credit which provides a credit of up to $1,350 for actions taken between January 2009 and January 2010.
- Purchase EnergyStar-rated compact flourescent light bulbs and reduce your electricity consumption by 75%. Download money-saving coupons from the Every Kilowatt Counts website at everykilowattcounts.ca.
- Install EnergyStar-rated ceiling fans and spend less energy on keeping cool. Download money-saving coupons from the Every Kilowatt Counts website at everykilowattcounts.ca
- Whenever you are purchasing an electric appliance be sure to purchase an EnergyStar model, which can reduce your electricity consumption by 50% or more. Many new appliance models also have a “delay” function that allows you to easily set them to run in off-peak hours (e.g., late at night). Remember that residential electric appliances are responsible for 14% of Ontario’s electricity demand at the time of system peak. Calculate your savings for being an EnergyStar.
- Purchase a solar water heater and reduce your electricity or gas use by 40-50%. Newly enriched incentives mean you could get a solar hot water system for half the regular cost. Check the offer from Bullfrog Power / Enbridge Gas Distribution at www.bullfrogpower.com/solar. If you live in Toronto's Ward 30, you may qualify for additional incentives — see www.solarneighbourhoods.ca for details. Also check out OurPower.ca for information on community buying groups that can help you with your purchase. A group in London, ON, for example, is trying to get 350 residents to install solar hot water systems — see herecomesthesun350.wordpress.com/about/
- Purchase a geothermal heat pump and reduce your electricity consumption for cooling and space and water heating by 60% or more. Find out more from the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition or Next Energy
- Switch to natural gas for water heating, cooking or drying. By using gas for these heat-intensive applications you reduce peak electricity demand and save money -- it costs up to 30% less to use gas for these uses. Check out Enbridge Gas' incentive programs for gas appliances and water heaters. You can also get information on natural gas appliances and water heaters from Union Gas. For water heating, getting an on-demand system is a great option with up to $600 in incentives ($300 from Enbridge Gas and $300 from the ecoENERGY program) now available.
- Take the energy conservation message to your workplace. Your company may also be eligible to participate in demand reduction programs, which can help its bottom line. See our PeakBusters Business page for more details.
