The energy grid is changing dramatically: there’s more renewable energy, more infrastructure for storing renewable energy, more grid infrastructure for more advanced renewable energy, more smart grid technology and more power plant coal and nuclear plants to keep the lights on. Much of that is because wind and solar energy has become very economical.

That’s great news for consumers, but there’s a dark cloud over it all: more bad news about electricity prices. Power companies’ increased need for extra power means higher prices for electricity in many regions of the country, but Energy Switching is possible in order to get the best rates. That’s why utility companies are increasingly looking at ways to reduce energy costs for their consumers.

Fortunately, there are many strategies that consumers can employ to help reduce the amount of electricity they use. Let’s look at a few of them.

Install Energy Efficient Lighting and Energy Efficient Appliances

When it comes to electricity, energy-efficient appliances make a big difference. Home lighting like compact fluorescent, light bulbs, LED ceiling lights, and LEDs generally use less electricity than the old incandescent bulbs. They can even save you money because of their longer life span so it’s a swap that’s well worth thinking about. So, consider calling an Electrician Parkdale (or where you reside) to replace your old light with energy-efficient ones. Apart from home lighting, you can also make sure that the other appliances in your home are using the minimum amount of energy possible. If you have air coolers or heaters, for instance, you can have them restored by hiring the services of DUCTZ of Rockingham County or similar companies in your area. That way, these appliances would use lesser energy than they would have in their older state.

Energy Efficient Appliance Program Programs

Home Energy Efficient Appliance Programs encourage consumers to switch to energy efficient appliances. According to Home Energy, a Washington state program, this program “allows consumers to purchase a new energy-efficient appliance or additional light bulbs at a discount. These programs allow consumers to participate in a federally-approved program in which consumers receive a 20% or 30% discount to the cost of the appliance. Consumers also receive a rebate from utility companies of the energy savings from the program.”

Energy Efficient Electrical Appliance Exemptions

There are also many federal and state governments that have decided to exempt certain electrical appliances from energy efficiency standards.

Use Smart- Energy Saving Tech

Smart thermostats have become more popular because they help consumers save money on their utility bills. Instead of setting the temperature in a thermostat to a minimum level and allowing the thermostat to stay in the low or high range of that setting, smart thermostats adjust their settings to a preferred temperature. That means consumers can save money by not paying for the electricity required to heat and cool a home.

Energy Efficient Power Tool Re-manufacturers

Not every homeowner can switch to smart power tools, but companies have partnered with their electric power tool partners and authorized re-manufacturers to produce smart power tools.

More Energy Efficient Power Tools

These re-manufacturers make electric power tools that use energy efficient components that reduce energy use and cost. They also make power tools that will integrate into the smart power tool systems coming out of the home appliance industry.

With more cheap and advanced power tools, consumers will have a large variety of tools to choose from to save money and cut down on their electricity bills.

Protect the Grid from Carbon

Protecting the grid from energy generated by a growing number of more sophisticated renewable energy sources is essential to the long-term stability of the grid. Switch My Energy explains the value of this effort by pointing out that “batteries are typically the best technology for storing and discharging electricity generated by wind and solar technologies, even though the batteries are smaller and have shorter lifetimes compared to electric generators.” You can also access comparison tools to get the best rates from the supplier of your choice.

Protecting the grid from electricity generated by renewable energy means the grid can be stable when more of these renewable sources are built.