Efficient Reading: Monthly Digest of Insights Shared by Your Peers in the Energy Central Energy Efficiency Group – September 8, 2022

Programs promoting energy efficiency for utility customers, for grid infrastructure, and wherever it else applies in the utility business is one of the truest win-win operations in the sector. Customers always strive to find ways to reduce energy use and thus bills, and utilities see increased efficiency as a cost-efficient and quick pathway to ensuring supply and demand remain in striking distance of each other without the costly headache of new generation. New technological solutions and innovative leadership continues to open new energy efficiency doors, so the Energy Efficiency Group on Energy Central seeks to keep you fully and completely informed.

Making Homes More Energy Efficient in the UK

Nick Ferengi

Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/o/franklin-energy/products-support-whole-home-approach-energy-efficiency-and-weatherization    

In Europe ahead of a particularly cold winter that is expected and gas supplies that are likely to be limited due to the fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the energy efficiency possibilities are being highlighted more than ever. As such, this article from Nick Ferengi of CAGR Value that highlights ways that the United Kingdom’s residential sector can further embrace efficiency is quite timely indeed.

How Consumer Behavior Can Impact Energy Efficiency

Kristen Hawkins

Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/o/sense/how-consumer-behavior-can-impact-energy-efficiency   

Underdiscussed in some areas is how energy efficiency isn’t just about technologies and programs that the utilities put out, but it’s way more about whether and to what degree those technologies and programs are embraced and utilized by the customers. And adjusting that customer behavior can in many respects be the much more challenging aspect. As such, Kirsten Hawkins of Sense provides some much needed and insightful perspectives on the entire situation regarding nudging consumers towards efficiency.

EVs Are Changing the Way Utilities Do Business

Lee Ann Head

Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/o/franklin-energy/evs-are-changing-way-utilities-do-business 

The title of Lee Ann’s article gets right to the heart of things: EVs are really transforming the entire business model and way of thinking of the utility sector. To emphasize that, the idea that EVs and energy efficiency programs would be intertwined is not necessarily an obvious intersection to those outside the power industry. But EVs are changing how much and at what times energy is needed, and when combining those insights with the opportunities for energy efficiency, forward-looking utilities can and should be new areas of interest and cross-collaboration. Check out this article to learn more!

Why and How to Save Electricity in Summer Rather than in Winter

Thomas Vogel

Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/c/cp/why-and-how-save-electricity-summer-rather-winter

Last but not least, the common knowledge about energy efficiency and what utilities might do differs based on the demand and opportunities associated with seasonality. As noted earlier, the particularly cold winter coming up in Europe is expected to bring new need for efficiency, but in this article Thomas Vogel highlights why summer is also a critical area of focus for EE efforts. Check out his blog to see the importance of summer-time efficiency as well.

This wraps up another edition of ‘Efficient Reading.’ Check back in this spot in four weeks to see what submissions have captured the attention of our community. And if you think there are stories I’m missing—let me know in the comments, or better yet submit an article on those stories so it can be included in the next issue. Make sure you don’t miss out on these shared insights in the future.

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