Energy conservation is a term that is used a lot in our society yet so few people actually know what their behaviors look like in the terms of energy consumption. Energy monitoring gives you real time feedback about your energy usage and the usage of appliances in your home and energy expenditures can be received in real time. This becomes a phenomenal tool to get an accurate depiction of energy utilization. Even in instances where people use a bare amount of energy, by discovering where the most energy is used, further savings can be experienced.
Typically, an energy monitoring for your home has a set of circuit connections, depending on the size of the system you can vary the amount of feedback you desire. This information is transmitted via a sensor and can be communicated with another device in order to display real time energy usage, such as with a tablet, phone or computer. By being able to view energy usage in real time, a homeowner can quickly gauge which appliances and outlets use the most energy and which can be shut off at night in order to save on additional energy costs. Further, by being aware of energy monitoring, homeowners are more conscientious about their energy costs and consumption.
There have been several countries that have tried out energy monitoring in particular neighborhoods, such as Australia and Canada where homeowners were given the opportunity to monitor their energy use. Because of energy monitoring, each user was able save on their energy costs. While it makes sense that using less energy will save money in the long-run, without energy monitoring, it is difficult to get an accurate depiction on how much energy is actually being used and which items use the most. An outlet may be the source or an older-modeled refrigerator may not be as efficient as previously thought. With the use of energy monitoring, it is easy to see where the energy is being used and at what rate during the day.
Items that typically use the most electricity in the home are heating and cooling appliances, followed by water heaters, clothes dryers, clothes washers, and refrigerators. Use of energy monitoring can quickly assess where energy is being used and allow for smart planning on how best to use it efficiently.
Energy Monitoring for Your Home can pair beautifully with a photovoltaic (solar) installation. You can monitor how much your PV system is producing as well as curb habits and behaviors within the home to minimize usage. At Native, we encourage you to conserve energy in any way possible. Energy monitoring is a smart way to start.
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