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• Demand-Side Management Programs
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• Water Heaters

Demand-Side Management Programs

Demand-Side Management (DSM) is the process of managing the consumption of energy to optimize available and planned generation resources. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, DSM refers to "actions taken on the customer's side of the meter to change the amount or timing of energy consumption."

DSM programs aim to achieve three broad objectives; energy conservation, energy efficiency and load management.

Energy conservation can reduce the overall consumption of electricity by reducing the need for heating, lighting, cooling, cooking energy and other functions.

Energy efficiency can encourage consumers to use energy more efficiently, and thus get more out of each unit of electricity produced.

Load management allows generation companies to better manage the timing of their consumers' energy use, and thus help reduce the large discrepancy between on-peak and off-peak demand.

Air Conditioning Programs

A few member cooperatives have initiated rebates or low-interest loans to support the installation of high-efficiency air conditioners.

Grain Drying

The majority of the consumers are engaged in farming or ranching and many of these operations use grain drying systems.

High temperature propane systems continue to represent the most common method of drying; however, there has been a major increase in the use of natural air drying, low temperature drying and aeration. Grain drying occurs during the fall, which represents a low load period for most systems. The additional power requirements result in better use of existing resources. The members have consequently developed various marketing programs to encourage its use. This consists of providing rebates to offset the initial cost of the grain drying equipment and low-interest loans to spread its costs over a five-year period.

Energy Audits

An energy audit's identifies places in the home where energy is being wasted and helps prioritize the projects needed to reduce waste. Completing the projects reduces the amount of energy the home needs to operate while keeping occupants comfortable. While the word "audit" may sound ominous, a home energy audit is just the first step in the process of lowering energy bills by making a home more efficient. Energy audits range from a simple walk-through that can be completed by the owner to more elaborate services performed by trained professionals. Our member co-ops provide a combination of both (video).

The Internet has brought consumers many new conveniences and tools, including help evaluating their home's energy use. Online calculators let consumers enter information about their home and appliances and compute their energy costs. Such calculators can be helpful as part of an overall energy plan to help consumers assess and analyze their best savings opportunities.

Many members as part of their affiliation and membership with Touchstone Energy and a special arrangement with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are able to make available a robust online energy audit tool that helps consumers identify the best ways to manage their home energy consumption. The Home Energy Saver was voted "best overall home energy audit tool" by the Cooperative Research Network (CRN).

Compact Fluorescent Lighting

Compact fluorescent lighting is the choice of many homeowners and businesses looking to minimize costs and maximize performance. At four to five times the efficiency of incandescent lamps, better light output, up to 13 times longer life and improvements such as advanced thermal capabilities and application specialization, compact fluorescent lights are fast becoming the lamp of choice for consumers everywhere.

Member cooperatives are selling compact fluorescent lights in a variety of wattages to substitute for most incandescent lights.

Photovoltaic

A number of member systems serving remote rangeland have implemented a photovoltaic program. Under these programs photovoltaic panels with a low-voltage electric pump are used to water livestock instead of building normal voltage distribution systems, which would be at considerable expense to meet the consumer's electrical needs.

The economics of this approach are positive and the photovoltaic systems have operated well. In some instances, the systems have purchased the photovoltaic systems and lease them to the ranchers, and in other instances, they have provided low-interest loans to the ranchers to purchase the equipment.