Reduce Peak Electricity Usage

Summary: Reducing peak electricity usage reduces reliance on fossil-fuel generated electricity and lowers your electricity bill

Description

Did you know? Most Groton residents are on time of use electricity rates; our rates are different depending on the time of day. Twenty hours a day, from 8pm to 4pm, also known as off-peak hours, our rates are extremely low.  In fact, our off-peak rates are one of the lowest in Massachusetts. Then from 4pm to 8pm, also known as peak hours, our rates are 4 - 6 times higher than off-peak hours, depending on the season. The higher rate during peak hours provides an incentive to residents to reduce their electricity use during those hours. Peak hour electricity is the most expensive electricity that Groton Electric Light Dept.(GELD) purchases on our behalf, and also contains the highest proportion of fossil-fuel generated electricity. Collectively reducing our electricity use in Groton during peak hours keeps our overall monthly electricity bills low and reduces our carbon footprint. 

GELD is the first utility in Massachusetts to implement mandatory time of use rates for most residential customers, but these types of programs are going to become more and more common, as time of use pricing and other demand management programs are seen as a major tool for managing the costs of the electrification of transportation and buildings needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. 

What can I do to reduce my peak electricity usage?

Regardless of the benefits, reducing a household's peak hour usage takes some work. The late afternoon and early evening hours can be a period of a lot of activity in the house, a time for chores like laundry or cooking dinner, or a time for taking showers before bed. Our Steps to Take section outlines numerous ways to reduce your home's electricity usage during peak hours as well as your overall electricity usage.  Please add additional tips you have on maximizing our time of use rate structure or overall energy use reduction in the testimonial page.

Deep Dive

Sustainable Groton hosted a seminar on Municipal Power in September 2023, where Kevin Kelly, former GELD manager, introduced the time of use program and explained the rationale for implementing a residential sector-wide program in Groton.   Coming in the future: We hope to host a follow-up seminar in 2025 to show what have already been positive results from implementing the program.

Steps to Take

There are numerous ways at varied price points to reduce your peak electricity load:

1. In summer, pre-cool your home 1-2 hours before peak hours by dropping the temperature on your thermostat a couple of degrees below your target temperature. Then raise the temperature a couple of degrees above the target during peak hours, to reduce the amount of energy your air conditioners use during that time. In winter, adjust the thermostat to pre-heat the home before peak hours and then lower it to reduce usage during peak hours. A programmable or smart thermostat will make these adjustments much easier.  Cost: 0$ - $

2. Weatherization of your home will reduce heat loss/gain to maintain comfort during peak hours if you are pre-cooling or pre-heating as suggested above. Visit our Take Action on weatherization for more information and what incentives are available. Cost: $ - $$

3. Use energy efficient window coverings, such as honeycomb, or cellular shades which can reduce heat gain during summer peak hours and reduce heat loss in the winter. Cost $-$$

4. Use timers on appliances to reduce peak electricity usage. Modern dishwashers, clothes washers and other appliances come with timers, allowing users more control over when they start.  Affordable mechanical timers directly plug into the wall and allow control over appliances that turn on automatically, like dehumidifiers. Cost: $ 

5. Monitor your electricity usage to understand where there are opportunities for reductions. There are numerous ways to understand your electricity usage: 

     a. GELD provides access to your electricity usage through its MyMeter site, allowing you to understand your overall electricity usage throughout the day and day-to-day. Cost: 0$

     b. To know exactly how much electricity a particular appliance or device is using, GELD has watts meters available to borrow, or you can use their online energy calculator. The Groton Public Library also has a watt meter available to borrow through their Library of Things. Cost: 0$

     c. A wifi enabled home energy monitor combines individual device monitoring and control with overall household use tracking that you can access through a smartphone app. Cost: $

      d. Finally, a smart electrical panel can monitor and manage load either as an add-on to the panel you already have or integrated into a new panel if you are upgrading. Cost: $$

6. A home battery can be charged during off-peak hours and then discharged during peak hours to reduce the home’s electricity use from the grid. Visit our Take Action on home batteries and what incentives are available. Coming in the future: Increasingly, electric vehicles will be manufactured with bidirectional charging, allowing a user to discharge the vehicle battery to their home to offset grid electricity usage during peak hours, similar to a home battery. Cost $$$

7. Depending on the activities going on in your home during peak hours, decreasing electricity usage during that time can be challenging. Behavioral changes such as switching to showering in the morning or shifting chores such as clothes washing to late evening hours or on weekends, may be more difficult to implement for some household members than others. One Groton household uses reminder labels, pictured above, to assist younger family members with remembering the rules. Cost: 0$

8. Program your electric vehicle to charge in off-peak hours. Electrical Vehicle Chargers Explained | Ask This Old House (youtube.com) 

9. If you are currently using a conventional electric cooking range, an induction stove can offer some electricity savings; induction cooktops are up to 10% more efficient than their conventional electric counterparts. Visit our Take Action page on induction cooking and what incentives are available for making that switch. Coming in the future: Induction stoves with integrated battery can further offset the amount of electricity needed for cooking during peak hours. Cost $$$