Cooperative Living May 2014 - 12

ENERGY BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
Reducing Peak Demand:
The Who, What, When,
Where, Why and How
by Randy Gruppa,
Contributing Writer
here are many
no-brainer ways for
homeowners to be smart
about their energy use, such
as turning or keeping lights
off when not in use and
choosing efficient ENERGY
STAR® appliances and
electronics. But there are
beneficial energy habits of
which most people are less aware.
A lot of them concern the time of day
during which energy is used.
Peak demand periods are
stretches of time during which electricity
demand is at its highest (and
therefore most expensive). Think of it
as electricity rush hour. These peak
periods usually occur around 3 p.m.
to 7 p.m. during the summer. These
are the hours during which a large
number of people run their air
conditioners, watch TV and perform
after-work tasks such as preparing
dinner and washing dishes.
Your electric cooperative's grid is
the connected network that delivers
electricity from suppliers to end-use
consumers. And when all that
electricity is demanded from the grid,
all at the same time, it puts strain on
that system, making it work harder to
keep up with demand. The infrastructure
currently in place was designed
to cope with these peaks, but growing
demand in many areas continues
to push the system to its limits ever
more frequently.
T
One solution to meet growing
demand is to upgrade the system,
which could include building new
power plant facilities and/or transmission
lines. Few people jump for
joy at the idea of constructing an
additional power plant in their area.
Fortunately, there's a smarter, simpler
solution.
Cooperative members like you
can make a big impact on reducing
the electricity demand (aka load)
during peak periods by making a
few simple adjustments to how and
when you use energy in your home.
This is what's known as voluntary
load reduction. Little things like
doing the dishes and laundry outside
of peak demand periods go a
long way to reducing stress on the
grid. And many cooperatives provide
the opportunity to participate in
demand response programs.
Your participation in these free, innovative
programs can help reduce
peak load without you or your family
sacrificing a single degree of
comfort. Contact your cooperative
to find out if a voluntary
demand response program is
available in your neighborhood.
You have the power to take
control. Taking an active role in
reducing your electricity use
during peak periods is a sustainable
solution that makes a positive
difference for you and your
entire community, as well as the
environment at large. And since
wholesale electricity is more
expensive during peak periods,
reducing your use at these times
can help control the cost of
energy. When you're part of the
load management solution,
you're part of a great thing.
Remember to get in touch
with your cooperative to see
if there are demand response
programs available in your
area. You can also visit
EnergizeEfficiently.coop for
much more about using energy
wisely. 
10
Cooperative Living/May 2014
http://www.EnergizeEfficiently.coop
Cooperative Living May 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living May 2014
