Energy Efficiency: Extending Today’s Energy Supply

CEO Dave MarkhamAccording to the mantra, energy efficiency is the low-hanging fruit—and history confirms it. Since the 1970s energy crisis, the deployment of federal, state and local energy-efficiency programs have resulted in tremendous energy and cost savings.

The state of Oregon’s 2018 biennial energy report concluded the combined efforts of all efficiency activities throughout the Northwest saved more than 6,600 average megawatts from 1980 to 2017. Oregon collectively offset approximately 1,900 aMW—enough to power more than a million Oregon homes annually.

Central Electric Cooperative has done its part, too. Working with the federal Bonneville Power Administration, CEC has developed a wide range of energy-efficiency programs from which members may choose. In the 1970s, CEC initially offered a weatherization program to help qualified homeowners better insulate their houses. The slate of program offerings has expanded, giving members many ways to save money and energy through home improvements, smart appliance choices and adoption of other technologies.

Today, CEC offers 14 energy-efficiency programs targeting residential, commercial, irrigation and industrial members. Programs range from enhanced new construction standards to high-efficiency heat pumps and water heaters, to irrigation equipment and pump testing to commercial and industrial lighting projects.

CEC members have consistently shown their commitment to saving money and energy by participating in our energy-efficiency programs. In 2019, 589 members implemented energy-efficiency measures that will ave 4,389,480 kilowatt-hours annually—equivalent to offsetting the average annual energy use of 260 homes.

This year, we have showcased member involvement in our energy-efficiency programs across residential, commercial, irrigation and industrial classes. In March, we highlighted how homeowner Randy Schuyler took advantage of CEC’s incentives and exchanged her nearly 30-year-old conventional electric water heater with a heat pump water heater to save both energy and money.

In June, we shared the story of the nonprofit Sisters Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store, which swapped out more than 500 old lights for all LED lighting before moving into its new facility. Savings will go toward helping the community.

Bierly Acres, an irrigation water cooperative north of Madras, installed a variable frequency drive on its pump serving 49 members. Previously, it ran full time at maximum output. Now, technology calibrates the pump to run based on real-time demand. The financial savings will go toward updating the district’s system. For more on this story, please pages 4-5.

Last year, the city of Bend installed highspeed turbo blowers with an integral variable frequency drive at its water reclamation facility plant, which translates into energy savings of about 1 million kWh a year.

It pleases me to see so many members working with us to implement energy-efficiency savings. I encourage you to visit www.cec.coop and check out our offerings. Our energy specialists can also help you select the right program for your needs.