Cooling Off—Energy Efficient Remedies to the Summer Heat in Colorado

Introduction

For most of Colorado, the summer months are the months that use the most amount of energy. In 2008, the 193 most expensive singular hours of energy consumption throughout the year in Xcel’s territory, the largest utility in the state, were in summer months.[1] Whether it is air conditioning or fans, Coloradans crank up the energy when it gets hot and this means their energy bills crank up as well. Approximately 20% of Coloradans energy use in the summer months is to cool and ventilate homes and businesses.[2]

To get a sense of how many days Coloradans cranked up the cooling, we looked at how many daysthis summer temperatures in select cities climbed above 80° F, 90° F, and 100° F for cities across Colorado, temperatures that would drive many Coloradans to turn on the air.

City / Days Above 80 Degrees in June (beg June 21) / Days Above 90 Degrees in June (beg June 21) / Days Above 100 Degrees in June (beg June 21)
Denver / 10 / 0 / 0
Grand Junction / 10 / 6 / 0
Colorado Springs / 10 / 0 / 0
Alamosa / 6 / 0 / 0
Trinidad / 10 / 3 / 0
Pueblo / 10 / 10 / 0
Days Above 80 Degrees in July / Days Above 90 Degrees in July / Days Above 100 Degrees in July
Denver / 23 / 7 / 0
Grand Junction / 31 / 28 / 5
Colorado Springs / 23 / 6 / 0
Alamosa / 25 / 1 / 0
Trinidad / 29 / 16 / 0
Pueblo / 29 / 18 / 4
Days Above 80 Degrees in August / Days Above 90 Degrees in August / Days Above 100 Degrees in August
Denver / 27 / 9 / 0
Grand Junction / 31 / 20 / 2
Colorado Springs / 19 / 3 / 0
Alamosa / 23 / 0 / 0
Trinidad / 31 / 13 / 0
Pueblo / 30 / 16 / 1
Days Above 80 Degrees in September (as of Sept 17) / Days Above 90 Degrees in September (as of Sept 17) / Days Above 100 Degrees in September (as of Sept 17)
Denver / 13 / 1 / 0
Grand Junction / 15 / 7 / 0
Colorado Springs / 5 / 0 / 0
Alamosa / 4 / 0 / 0
Trinidad / 12 / 1 / 0
Pueblo / 13 / 5 / 0
Total Days Above 80 Degrees for Summer Months / Total Days Above 90 Degrees for Summer Months / Total Days Above 100 Degrees for Summer Months
Denver / 63 / 17 / 0
Grand Junction / 87 / 61 / 7
Colorado Springs / 57 / 9 / 0
Alamosa / 58 / 1 / 0
Trinidad / 82 / 33 / 0
Pueblo / 82 / 49 / 5

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For most of Colorado, the energy-producing capacity of the grid is pushed to the limit during the summer months. If energy use grows along with the projected growth of Colorado, energy providers will be forced to add more capacity to the grid, passing thecostfor the added production capacity onto consumer’s in the form of higher energy bills. For example, a new 500 MW coal-fired power plant costs $1-1.25 billion. Front Range customers are experiencing this situation right now because Xcel recently raised rates and is proposing a second hike to the Public Utilities Commission due mainly to new power generation construction.

In order to avoid costly rate increases in energy bills because of the construction of expensive power plants to meet our growing population’s needs, Colorado needs to invest in energy efficiency. The quickest, cheapest and most effective way to reduce energy consumption and save Coloradans money is to use energy more efficiently. By utilizing more energy efficient products and technologies to reduce peak demand during the summer by just 10%, Coloradans in the Xcel territory alone could reduce the peak demand of the region 589 megawatts,[4] effectively eliminating the need for a new power plant and saving customers $1 billion.[5]

There are a number of ways to reduce energy use when keeping your home cool. While air conditioners might be the first thing Coloradans think of when outside temperatures rise, there are in fact more efficient means of cooling homes and businesses. Alternatives such as ventilation and evaporative cooling can maintain pleasant climates for a fraction of the energy demand and cost of an outdated air conditioner. Using Energy Star© products can further reduce energy consumption and save Coloradans money.

Energy Efficiency Options for Coloradans in the Summer Months

Energy Efficient Air Conditioners

Energy Star© air conditioners can reduce consumption and cooling costs. If an air conditioner is more than 10 years old, replacing it with a new Energy Star system can reduce the cooling costs for a home or business by up to 30%. Inefficient heat transfer mechanisms as well as ozone damaging liquid refrigerants are the primary reasonsthat air conditioning units are not as efficient as Energy Star©units.

Ventilation

Creating better and more efficient ventilation including the use of a ceiling fan allows the air conditioning setting to be raised or can alleviate the need for air conditioning entirely. A 10-12 foot ceiling fan alone can mitigate the need to use strong air conditioning, reducing cooling costs 5-8% annually.[6]

Evaporative Cooling

Evaporative cooling is a method that is particularly useful in dryer climates such as Colorado. This method of cooling takes outside air and directs it over water saturated pads, thus cooling the air and passing it on to the inside of the home or business. Air brought in from outside using this process can reduce the temperature of that air between 15-40 degrees.[7]. Evaporative coolers cost half as much to install and use one quarter the energy required to run a central air conditioner due to the simplified process.

Energy Efficient Refrigerators

During the summer months, Coloradans want to reach for a cold beverage. A standard, non-Energy Star© model refrigerator costs roughly $115 a year to operate by consuming 1285 kWh.[8] A comparable size Energy Star© model costs $37 a year to run and the savings can make up for the costs of the entire refrigerator in less than 10 years depending on the make and model.

Programmable Thermostats

Further savings are possible by using a programmable thermostat to control the temperature when someone is away from their home or office. When families are at work or sleeping and when business employees are not at the office, the thermostat can be programmed to adjust the cooling mechanisms of the structure saving energy and money. For an up front cost of $70, a programmable thermostat can pay for itself in less than one year based on the energy savings created by a more efficient temperature regulating system.[9]

Policy Recommendations

As the summer temperatures rise, Colorado needs to make sure our energy bills do not. In order to avoid the need for costly new power generation that will raise Coloradans energy bills Colorado needs to aggressively pursue energy efficiency.

The good news is some utilities like Xcel, Black Hills, and the Fort Collins Utility have strong energy reduction goals. This has resulted in discount programs and rebates for their customers to help them invest in energy savings. This not only saves those customers money in the long run, it also helps save money for all of us by avoiding the need to construct expensive new power generation.

The bad news is many utilities have not adopted strong energy reduction goals. That means those customers are missing out on programs that can help them invest in energy efficiency upgrades that will help them cool off in the summer without seeing their energy bills rise.

Colorado ought to set an energy reduction standard for the state similar to the goal of 10% reduction currently being implemented by some utilities. Not only will meeting this

goal reduce the need for costly new power generation but will also give consumers access to discounted ways to invest in energy efficiency and reduce their energy bills over the long run.

The quickest, cheapest and most effective way to reduce energy consumption and save Coloradans money is to use energy more efficiently. The technology is present; it is now simply a matter of getting these products into the homes and businesses throughout Colorado.

[1] Xcel Load Duration Curve 2008

Data from LWG 3-12, Docket 09AL-299E

Graphing by PS 2009-08-14

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[3] National Weather Service Offices of Denver/Boulder, Pueblo, & Grand Junction

[4] Xcel Load Duration Curve 2008

Data from LWG 3-12, Docket 09AL-299E

Graphing by PS 2009-08-14

[5]Berry, David “Investment Risks of Coal Fired Power Plants” Western Resource Advocates April 2008

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[9] “Building Solutions: Opportunities for Coloradans to Save Energy and Money through Home Heating Efficiency” CoPIRG Foundation