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The single greatest thing we can do to improve our energy efficiency and reduce its use is to educate people as to the importance of energy conservation, and also how they can best conserve energy. Taking an energy budget is one useful way to do this, as it makes it clearer to the user where they have a large amount of energy going, and by implementing better practices and lower energy appliances, energy consumption can be reduced.

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Another way to improve efficiency is to place preference towards using energy-intensive appliances such as dryers during off-peak hours, or when energy demand is lower in an area. This puts less stress on the grid and allows it to manage an electrical load without having everyone operate large appliances at the same time. This could be as simple as not operating a dryer during the heat of a summer day when there may be many air conditioning units already running.

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How does your NGO plan to address the social cooperation necessary when trying to implement conservation tactics, especially in areas that don't have a history of education or care about conservation? How will you convince people to buy electric, reduce their energy usage, agree to put smart energy meter devices in their homes, replace their insulation, etc? 

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How does your NGO plan to address the social cooperation necessary when trying to implement conservation tactics, especially in areas that don't have a history of education or care about conservation? How will you convince people to buy electric, reduce their energy usage, agree to put smart energy meter devices in their homes, replace their insulation, etc? 

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Our NGO plans to address social cooperation by implementing incentives and educating the public on the resources, possibilities, and positive results of the program. Emphasizing the negative impacts of the current system and how making these changes could result in a better, cleaner environment. Education is an important factor to any proposal and presenting it through talks, conversations, articles, and graphic representations spreads awareness and knowledge.

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How will you monitor energy conservation in the public and private sector and will there be incentives for people who partake in more energy conservation methods and opportunities?

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How will you monitor energy conservation in the public and private sector and will there be incentives for people who partake in more energy conservation methods and opportunities?

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Energy consumption would be monitored through Energy Monitoring Softwares that gather the data for the consumer. Incentives would include cost benefits from the energy savings such as the net-metering program as explained in the Smart grid section.

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How will you resolve the conflict of interest between public good and corporate profit?

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How will you resolve the conflict of interest between public good and corporate profit?

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We want to focus on energy reduction which overall we believe benefits the public good. To address corporate profit, we want to financially incentivize making these energy conscious things

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How will you address conservation needs differently in developing countries where there is less access to electricity versus wealthier, developed nations where energy is consumed excessively?

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How will you address conservation needs differently in developing countries where there is less access to electricity versus wealthier, developed nations where energy is consumed excessively?

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Addressing conservation in these developing countries will be more about educating the public about possible lifestyle changes that will reduce energy consumption. A big part of conserving energy is knowing where the energy is going and how much of it is centralized in the simple tasks that many people overlook. Thus, spreading awareness of the daily activities that require the use of energy and alternative means to go about them will be as effective while the countries are developing.

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How will you prioritize the funding of renovation of properties to increase the overall efficiency of properties in congruence with incentivizing the program? 

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How will you prioritize the funding of renovation of properties to increase the overall efficiency of properties in congruence with incentivizing the program? 

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Our NGO will prioritize older homes for renovation funding. We want to incentivize these home-owners most because these older homes are the ones that are the least energy efficient.

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Where does your NGO stand on the balance between conservation and expansion. If conservation has greater start up costs how can expanding societies justify this initial cost when they are struggling with other issues? 

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Where does your NGO stand on the balance between conservation and expansion. If conservation has greater start up costs how can expanding societies justify this initial cost when they are struggling with other issues? 

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We believe that the process is by no means a short and quick one so the spread of education and alternative methods justify the plan. Our NGO balances conservation and expansion by emphasizing the urgency of change needed to combat climate change and limited supply of fossil fuels. In addition, promoting the personal and environmental benefits tips the scale in making the transition.

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Has your company tried to think about the implications of what would happen if the world went all-electric and how they would be able to produce/keep up with the demand for energy? 

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Has your company tried to think about the implications of what would happen if the world went all-electric and how they would be able to produce/keep up with the demand for energy? 

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The purpose of conservation is to reduce the energy demand so that we do not need to produce as much electricity. This lighter demand would help in the transition to all-electric. If the world were to move to all-electric, it would be necessary for the fossil-fuel industry to transition to the alternative energy sector in order to produce cleaner electricity.

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Will your company focus on the conservation of large corporations and facilities or conservation within residential communities or individual homeowners? If you intend to reach both groups, what kind of conservation efforts or incentives would you provide to the different groups? 

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Will your company focus on the conservation of large corporations and facilities or conservation within residential communities or individual homeowners? If you intend to reach both groups, what kind of conservation efforts or incentives would you provide to the different groups? 

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We intend to focus on both conservation of energy with large corporations and in residential areas. To incentivize residential conservation, we would like to offer a tax break for homes with more energy efficient insulation. For big corporations and the private sector, we want to offer an incentive to encourage the companies to increase their efficiency.

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What can be done to reduce the cost for the average person attempting to increase their homes efficiency? ex someone paying for materials and install of new improved insulation. Are there other ways to increase the value of conservation making it more important to the average household ? 

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What can be done to reduce the cost for the average person attempting to increase their homes efficiency? ex someone paying for materials and install of new improved insulation. Are there other ways to increase the value of conservation making it more important to the average household ? 

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We intend to offer incentives and tax breaks for individual homes looking to improve their energy efficiency. Energy efficiency can help save homeowners money in the long run and we want to emphasize that for the homeowner.

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How will your conservation techniques benefit the environment it is located in? 

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How will your conservation techniques benefit the environment it is located in? 

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Our conservation techniques will reduce the environmental impact wherever energy generating facilities are present. Specifically, conservation by driving EV's will greatly reduce the vehicle emissions in that area and allow for better air quality.

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Would you interfere in implementing conservation efforts in  under-developed countries? Or is it too fragile of a state to enforce renewable/higher-maintenance energy methods there? 

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Would you interfere in implementing conservation efforts in  under-developed countries? Or is it too fragile of a state to enforce renewable/higher-maintenance energy methods there? 

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Our NGO will still implement conservation efforts in under-developed countries, but would do so in a less intrusive approach. In these countries where high maintenance infrastructure and applications are rather difficult to implement at the moment, education and knowledge about energy become the priority. Simply spreading awareness and developing the public knowledge on energy and the strategies used to reduce our impact become ways in which these countries can take part in the conservation.

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What can we do to put more of the ethical weight on the corporations to conserve and shift this pressure from the far less significant individual consumer?

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What can we do to put more of the ethical weight on the corporations to conserve and shift this pressure from the far less significant individual consumer?

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Since many of these corporations are knowledgeable, constantly making them aware of the influence and impact they have on the environment is a starting approach. Once fully aware, incentives can be put in place for those who have accomplished a reduction in energy use.

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Since this grant is for domestic energy development, how do you plan to ensure that corporations (who bear the brunt of environmental responsibility) don’t simply export operations to countries with less stringent environmental regulations to work around the added costs of going green? 

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Since this grant is for domestic energy development, how do you plan to ensure that corporations (who bear the brunt of environmental responsibility) don’t simply export operations to countries with less stringent environmental regulations to work around the added costs of going green? 

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In regards to exporting operations to less stringent countries, incentives focused on the domestic production and operation of these corporations become a leading objective. In creating this incentive, the corporations would have to show proof of its domestic operations and all the transactions involved.

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What are the top ways to increase conservation on an individual level? On a corporate scale? Which consumer pool will be most willing to increase their conservation tactics? How will you get them to do this if there is push back?

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What are the top ways to increase conservation on an individual level? On a corporate scale? Which consumer pool will be most willing to increase their conservation tactics? How will you get them to do this if there is push back?

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On the individual level, exchanging appliances with energy-efficient models and reducing the use of energy by adjusting behavioral actions become important factors in increasing conservation. (shown in Insulation and Increased Efficiency and Reduced Use) As for the corporate scale, making the more grandeur changes in building efficiency, their transactions, and the operations through more energy-efficient strategies is essential. Individuals and corporations who are more aware of their actions and have a similar mindset are the ones most willing to make these changes. Some individuals have the mindset that if they're the only ones contributing, a difference cannot be made whereas some corporations see cost effective more important than energy-efficient. It isn't so much about which consumer pool to target and achieve the numbers from, but rather how we can get everyone to realize their environmental impacts and make these changes. Changes like these are always difficult to get many of board with, thus incentives are created and more attention to the influence people have are brought into the spotlight.

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Can your team describe instances where conservation efforts resulted in tangible benefits for the community, such as the incredible success of the Clean Air Act in reducing smog and improving air quality in LA? 

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Can your team describe instances where conservation efforts resulted in tangible benefits for the community, such as the incredible success of the Clean Air Act in reducing smog and improving air quality in LA? 

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Conservation efforts in the field of architecture, planning, and construction have the LEED rating system that honors and awards the infrastructure, firms, and corporations involved with the design and utilization of sustainable strategies and technologies.

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How do you plan on accounting for the variety of scales you'll be encountering in terms of conservation?  Plans and ideas need to be catered towards specific towns, communities, states, countries, and even globally.  How do you get all of these scales on board and working together? 

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How do you plan on accounting for the variety of scales you'll be encountering in terms of conservation?  Plans and ideas need to be catered towards specific towns, communities, states, countries, and even globally.  How do you get all of these scales on board and working together? 

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Each of these scales has a part in energy conservation, whether big or small. Catering specific strategies and changes that could be made to each of the scales and emphasizing the importance and influence is a starting point. How we view getting everyone on board with this is stressing the importance of doing what is possible in their power to make a difference. This is where education and awareness becomes key and as a population where seeing results are just as important, frequently displaying data regarding the impacts made from these changes becomes a motivation to continue and get many more involved.

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Electric vehicles are charged through a plug-in cable and electricity is stored in a battery. Some vehicles are hybrid, meaning they can run on gasoline if the battery is empty. Hybrid-electric vehicles have a regenerative breaking system, meaning energy is captured through the force applied while breaking and it is stored in the battery as electricity to run the car later.

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How do electric cars work? | Made in Germany

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The increased efficiency of electric vehicles makes them an effective part of our energy conservation plan. The electric motor runs with an energy conversion efficiency of 95%, compared to 30% efficiency of an internal combustion engine. In addition, the fuel economy of EV's is estimated a little over 100  MPG-equivalent. In comparison, the average American car in 2020 gets around 25 MPG. Driving an EV uses a quarter of the energy that conventional gas cars use. If the electricity for the car comes from alternative energy sources, then the upstream emissions related to electric vehicles will be almost negligible.

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Using 15% of our $64 million budget, we will install infrastructure to encourage the use of electric vehicles over gasoline vehicles. Most of these funds will be used to place charging stations in locations where people work or live. The chargers will be connected to the smart grid, so the majority of the energy will come from alternative energy sources such as wind and solar.

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How does Insulation Save Home and Business owners money?

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How does Insulation Save Home and Business owners money?

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Insulation can help provide a more manageable indoor climate to a build with out using a heat or air conditioning system. Included in this link is statistics regarding insulation.

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Insulation saves homeowners money and improves comfort.

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What is a Smart Grid? What makes it "smart"?

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What is a Smart Grid? What makes it "smart"?

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"The Grid" delivers electricity from the producers to the consumers through an electric grid- a network of transmission lines, substations, transformers. The two-way communication of digital technology between the utility and its customers that sense along the transmission lines makes the grid smart. Controls, computers, automation, and new technologies and equipment work together and  with the electrical grid to quickly respond digitally to the changing electrical demands. The Smart Grid is an opportunity to move the energy industry towards more reliability, availability, and efficiency that contributes to economic and environmental health.

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- Create more efficient transmission of electricity
- Quickly restore electricity after power disturbances
- Reduce operation and management costs for utilities and ultimately consumers
- Increase integration of large-scale renewable energy systems
- Integrate consumer-owned power generation systems
- improve security

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How much energy is heating and cooling the average home?

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How much energy is heating and cooling the average home?

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35-40%

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You've probably heard that having a properly insulated home is highly important, but you understandably may have wondered, "How important is it really?" The answer comes down to the numbers.

Residential Home Insulation Statistics by the Numbers

What Does It Mean for Me?

First, the annual value of your home energy bills is significant, and heating and cooling may be the biggest line item on those bills. However, if your house is not properly insulated, nearly a quarter of that energy and money is totally wasted! You can keep your house warmer and save money with proper insulation.

Do you know the R-value of your floor and attic insulation? If not, contact your local insulation contractor for help finding out. We serve the Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Newport News region of Virginia.

Additional Information and Benefits of Attic Insulation

There is no "right" type of insulation specifically for attics. That said, in our experience, certain types of insulation have distinct characteristics. Foam insulation, for instance, is superior at filling small cracks and holes and covering uneven spacing between floor joists and around wiring, piping and ductwork. Fiberglass insulation is very effective at stopping heat transfer into a colder area (heat leaking out of your warm house into the cold winter air!). And last but not least, cellulose insulation has similar qualities to fiberglass and is great for re-insulating all areas in your home, including the attic.

Insulating (or re-insulating) your attic can help:

Lower energy bills

Make your home a more comfortable space

Create a uniform temperature throughout your house

Reduce outside noises

Create a healthier environment inside your home

Additional Benefits of Floor and Crawl Space Insulation
In addition to lowering your monthly bills, crawl space insulation:

Makes your home more comfortable year round

Can eliminate problems like frozen pipes, wood rot, mold and mildew growth, contaminated air, and water infiltration

Boosts the market value of your house-most buyers value energy efficiency above other things

Promotes a healthier environment-reduced energy consumption leads to reduced carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions

Improves the overall performance of your HVAC systems by helping your home stay comfortable

Contact Tidewater Insulators for Insulation Services in the Norfolk, VA Area

At Tidewater Insulators, integrity, knowledge and excellent service aren't just buzzwords-they're what we live by. We treat each of our customers as if they were a member of our own family, so you can rely on us to treat your home the way you'd want it to be treated. We have been serving our local community with pride for nearly 20 years.
Contact us today to request a quote for your crawl space or attic insulation project in the Norfolk, VA area-or simply to ask any questions you may have about the insulation in your home. We also perform home energy audits.

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You've probably heard that having a properly insulated home is highly important, but you understandably may have wondered, "How important is it really?" The answer comes down to the numbers. First, the annual value of your home energy bills is significant, and heating and cooling may be the biggest line item on those bills.

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Electricity disruptions such as blackouts can have a domino effect. A Smart Grid adds resiliency to the electric power system making it better prepared to address emergencies. The two-way capacity enables automatic rerouting when equipment fails. Smart Grid technologies detect and isolate outages while ensuring quick recovery.

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With Smart Grids consisting of numerous applications and appliances, 50% of the grant would be distributed among these factors. The transition and efficiency related programs would attain 75% of the budget allocated for Smart Grids while the rest would be presented to the technology and appliances integrated in the Smart Grids.

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Nostalgic Childhood Icon "Bill Nye the Science Guys" talks about how he uses different energy-efficient techniques to save money on his home, including denim insulation.

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Bill Nye on Making His House Energy-Efficient

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For this project, our proposal is to try to increase a more energy aware community through more efficient energy use. Our proposal includes the use of Smart Grids, Electric Vehicles, insulation to increase efficiency, and reduced energy use. Our budget will be a combined effort of offering incentive programs for private sectors and using the grant money to create new energy efficient systems.

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In this project, the implementation of the Smart Grid, Electric Vehicles, Insulation, and Energy Efficiency and Reduction are targeted to conserve energy in households and counties by reducing the overall demand, cost, and consumption. These applications will introduce cost-effective energy that will reduce the total energy demand across all county government operations. Efficient technology used will promote an energy conscious culture that addresses the escalated utility usage and costs. The implementation of these applications provides flexibility in choosing renewable energy while targeting a more efficient and conscientious use of energy by local governments.Energy conservation is essential in addressing climate change by lowering greenhouse gas emissions. However, this project is not a quick and static plan, there is room for flexibility and modifications to be made to reflect the better emerging practices.

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50% of the funds going to improving Smart Grid applications and appliances.

20% going towards Electric Vehicles and the implementation of infrastructure.

15% of funds going to an incentive program for building and renovation with energy efficient insulation.

15% going towards increased efficiency and reducing energy usage through improved infrastructure and awareness.

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How can we encourage using energy efficient insulation in new builds? 

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How can we encourage using energy efficient insulation in new builds? 

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Using 15% of our overall budget, we suggest that an incentive is created for builders producing more efficient builds using insulation. We also would like to propose a tax break for building being renovated with improved insulation.

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Energy efficiency means using less energy to perform the asme task that in turn reduces waste. Renewable energy technique helps accomplish this by improving energy efficiency in the cheapest and most immediate manner.

Buildings can optimize efficiency and incorporate renewable energy by making changes as small as using LED light bulbs and energy efficient appliances to upgrading insulation. Neighborhoods designed for mixed use developments allowing multiple options for transportation reduces the need for personal vehicle travel. Additionally, when a personal car is essential, plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles become the choice for fuel efficiency.

Another targeted area involves energy generation and distribution. Capturing the waste made in the process of generating energy through combine heat and power systems increases efficiency of power generation from approximately 33% to 80%. From there, the Smart Grid improves the efficiency of electric generation, distribution, and consumption.

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Appliances networked together allowing the use access and operate them through home energy management systems (EMS). These appliances are set up to respond to signals from the energy provider to minimize their energy use at times of high demand and redirecting it to times when power is available at lower costs. Appliances include the smart meter and plug-in electric vehicles (PEV).

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Smart meters provide the Smart Grid interface where information is digitally transferred between the consumer and provider. For instance, Smart Meters will deliver signals from the energy provider regarding ways in which you can cut energy costs. The energy information coming through the smart meter runs through EMS which allows easy-to-understand viewing on any device. Tracking the energy use in real-time provides consumers enough information to determine better operating times.

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In addition, for those generating their own renewable power at home, net metering is also an available option to record power flows back into the grid as credit. Those who are able to generate energy and invest it back into the grid reduce the cost of energy consumption and provide the opportunity to receive a check for excess power generation. The possibility of getting a return for energy becomes an incentive for the implementation of personal energy generation programs.

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Specifically plug-in electric vehicles (PEV). With the implementation of Smart Grids, the infrastructure needed to enable the efficient use can drastically reduce dependence on oil and air pollutants in addition to energy. Charging PEVs in the early mornings where the power demand is at its lowest and renewable energy is typically at its peak offers cleaner energy sources. PEVs could also become a source of stored energy that is put back into the grid.

More details on electric vehicles on the next column.

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Human behavior and view towards conserving energy remains a large factor in this project. The way people use technology significantly impacts their effectiveness. The installation of better, more efficient appliances have shown to save the 30% of energy lost in the technologies of a variety of social, cultural, and economic factors.

The multiple ways to reduce electricity use in homes starts with purchasing appliances, lighting, space heating and cooling, and  water heating with energy-efficient systems. Even without the purchase of all these new appliances, energy use can be reduced by making behavioral changes. Adjusting day-to-day behaviors by turning off the lights or appliances not in use, using energy-intensive appliances less by performing them manually, and even avoiding the usage of some appliances have the potential for utility savings. Tasks such as hang-drying clothes, washing dishes by hand, and implementing insulation rather than changing the thermostat.

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How do Smart Grids save energy? What are the benefits of this implementation?

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How do Smart Grids save energy? What are the benefits of this implementation?

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Smart Grid techniques improve the amount of intermittent renewable power generation by increasing the capacity of grid-connected clean energy while promoting energy saving in power systems. Utilizing the efficiency of power systems and power consumption demonstrate advantages of environment and climate sustainable development.

For consumers, participating in these programs means earning extra savings on the energy bills while those generating their own power could result in a check. Overall, the Smart Grid creates opportunities to save energy, money in the long run, and environmental impacts.

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https://www.smartgrid.gov/the_smart_grid/smart_grid.html
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00410/full