Conservation makes sense for everyone

August 5, 2009


Why do you offer customers incentives to save energy and why does the utility want me to use less electricity?

That’s a question we often get when we meet with customers. Clark Public Utilities has a long history of helping customers use energy more wisely and participating in regional conservation programs. As a customer of Bonneville Power Administration we participate in programs designed to reduce electricity consumption throughout the Northwest and do so for several reasons.

First, some 60 percent of the region’s electricity comes from hydroelectric dams. While hydro power has provided us years of reliable electricity, as the demand for electricity continues to grow there are constraints on this resource. That is one reason utilities, including Clark, are looking to alternative renewable forms of energy, such as wind power.

Electricity from these new forms of generation costs more than that generated by long-established hydro dams, some of which have been around for 75 years. It makes sense, therefore, to squeeze as much efficiency as possible from every kilowatt-hour generated. Each kilowatt-hour we do not use is one less that has to be generated at the higher cost.

"Energy efficiency is the most cost-effective new generation we have," said Sam Walker, a Clark Public Utilities energy engineer. "It’s also a way for us to protect customers as much as possible from future rate increases due to new generating resources."

Savings add up

The success of energy efficiency efforts in the Northwest is impressive. Since 1978, almost 3,600 average megawatts of electricity have been saved through utility and BPA efficiency programs, new energy codes and new federal standards, according to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. That’s enough electricity to serve the needs of Idaho and all of western Montana.

In 2007 alone Northwest consumers reduced their electricity use 1,750 million kilowatt-hours, enough electricity to serve about 146,000 Northwest homes, according to the council. Consumers saved a whopping $1.6 billion in the process and reduced carbon emissions by an estimated 14.1 million tons that year.

Initiative 937, which Washington voters approved in 2006, is another driver in using less energy. The law mandates that large utilities acquire 3 percent of their electricity from renewable resources by 2012 and 15 percent by 2020. These new resources are good for the environment, but they — at least for now — cost more.

Walker said the utility and its staff of energy counselors are on hand to help customers learn how to use energy more efficiently. The utility offers rebates on a number of efficiency measures, such as weatherization, energy-efficient appliances and solar water heaters. "Saving energy helps reduce costs and helps the environment. We’re here to help customers do that," he said.