Using half the energy in the transportation and residential and commercial areas that make up 68% of our energy consumption is easy with today's technologies.
Energy Consumption By End Use (source: DOE)
In each area there are
Quick Wins
that are cheap, easy to install and pay back their cost in
less than a year. An example is CFL lightbulbs which can
cut home and workplace energy use by 15% and pay for
themselves in one year.
More costly items require Replace Over Time (ROT) approach
when the asset needs replacing or upgrading. ROT candidates
include
vehicles,
appliances &
equipment,
heating, cooling & insulation, and more efficient
industrial processes.
In many cases, Federal, State and local governments give
tax credits to assist.
Check here to find credits for your
location.
Sometimes more efficient processes work. Can a
web video conference
substitute for a business trip?
The
commercial & industrial
sector
is more challenging because industrial processes such as
steel making are usually expensive to replace, however some
plants are upgraded each year which is the right time to
become more effficient. The low cost producer in any
industry is always advantaged, so companies that invest in
efficient technologies will gain as energy costs
rise.