There is a lot of talk these days about new development that is “all electric” and (literal) buzz around renewable energy and sustainability, but what is the difference between new buildings that tout “all electric” and the old-fashioned electricity we have always had?

“When talking about electrification, it’s important to clarify between electrification and beneficial electrification” says Mike Beyer, Energy Resources Specialist, Yampa Valley Electric Association, a member-owned electric co-op serving 23,000 members in the 7,000 square mile territory surrounding Steamboat Springs and the Yampa Valley. Electrification means you are shifting the end use of energy sources from fossil fuel to electric. But what YVEA has focused on with its extensive rebate program is to encourage its members to implement updated products and systems for Beneficial Electrification.

 

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

“Beneficial Electrification solutions will benefit YVEA members, local communities, and the environment such that it achieves one of the following without adversely impacting the others.

• Save members money over time
• Improves quality of life
• Enable better grid management
• Reduce negative environmental impact

We are not just trying to sell our members electrification. We want to promote products that help our members, the grid and the environment as well,” Beyer says. 

Shifting to “Beneficial Electrification will help align the consumption of energy to when the power is being produced. Implementing these systems is straightforward for new construction, but retrofitting existing homes can be a bit of a challenge. Still, it is doable.
“It is worthwhile if it saves more money over time than it costs upfront. Individual homes can make a difference on the overall efficiency of the grid,” Beyer says. 

That is why YVEA is dedicated to helping its members with rebates on various products to facilitate Beneficial Electrification that is not only good for quality of life, the environment, and grid management but also for your wallet.

 

HEAT PUMPS

Heat pumps are more efficient than conventional heating systems like boilers or electric heaters because they transfer heat rather than generate it. A typical heat pump has a coefficient of performance (COP) of around four, meaning it produces four times as much energy as it uses. Heat pumps extract heat from an outside source and moves it from the compressor to the indoor coils. In the summer, the process uses a reversing valve to move the refrigerant to the outdoor coils and cools the home. “An amazing byproduct of installing a cold climate heat pump is it will provide the comfort of air conditioning in the summer as well as heat in winter,” Beyer says, noting that it must be a cold climate heat pump because a standard heat pump will not operate efficiently in our climates lower temperatures.

Installing heat pumps is a no-brainer if you’re talking about new construction, but if you are interested in doing a conversion to your existing home there can be challenges, the first step is to get an energy assessment to understand the upgrades you will need to allow the heat pump to operate efficiently—YVEA rebates are available through the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council. There are several types of heat pumps to consider: air to air (including mini splits), air to water, and geothermal. Air to air uses existing or new duct work, previously used with a gas furnace, to move the air throughout the house, air to water goes through existing or new pipes in the floor or radiators on the wall, which is why these two types of heat pumps can be a challenge to retrofit into an existing house. Mini splits, however, can be added to any existing home. Mini splits allow you to control the temperature in each individual room or zone and can help you save money on your energy bill.

 

ELECTRIC LAWN EQUIPMENT

“I just transitioned to electric lawn equipment this summer, and I love it,” Beyer says. “It’s actually a great introduction to Beneficial Electrification.” All outdoor equipment, from lawn mowers and snow blowers to weed whackers, snow blowers, trimmers, and chainsaws are now available in all-electric versions. “No more gas cans in the garage, no more oil changes. These electric units offer quiet operation, minimal maintenance, and low emissions. Also, no more gas fumes leaking into my home. And my 10-year-old daughter was mowing the grass this summer,” Beyer says. Better yet, rebates are available through YVEA, and many vendors offer a 30 percent (Colorado tax credit) discount at the register. “It’s a no brainer,” Beyer says.

 

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

“If you drive an all-electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid, YVEA offers a rebate on installing a level 2 charger at your residence. Whether you are thinking about purchasing an EV or already own one, it is crucial to be able to charge your vehicle at home and keep it fully charged for those trips out of town,” Beyer says “It is best to charge your car between 10pm–3pm.”

 

HOT WATER HEAT PUMP

Like heat pumps that are used to heat homes hot water heat pumps can also be used to heat domestic hot water the same way, by moving heat from one place to another instead of generating heat directly. Hot water heat pumps are 3-4 times more efficient that standard resistive water heaters and gas or propane hot water heaters. “It works the same way as a cold climate heat pump. It is just a tiny heat pump on top of water heater storage tank,” Beyer says. It is best to plan for installing these before an emergency replacement is needed. Ask your local HVAC installer if they will work for you. This is another way to maximize energy efficiency in your home and to bring your costs down. It is a win for you and for the environment.

 

HEAT PUMP CLOTHES DRYERS

There are energy efficient home appliances coming into the market all the time, and one of the latest and greatest are heat pump clothes dryers. “They don’t need to be vented to the outside, which is a huge bonus,” Beyer says. There is even a combo unit that is a washing machine and a heat pump dryer in one. “In two hours, your clothes are washed and dry which is really cool.” These units operate on 110-volt power instead of 240-volt, and YVEA offers rebates on both dryers and combo (washer/dryer) units. 

 

SMART BREAKER PANELS 

“These should really be included in all new construction,” Beyer says. A smart breaker panel allows you to effectively manage the energy loads within your home from your smart phone. “You can turn something on or off remotely. It is an amazingly valuable tool that should be a standard feature of any smart home. It is also the wave of the future when it comes to energy management.”

 

 

SMART THERMOSTATS 

If your number one concern is a high electric bill during the coldest months when your household is constantly using heat, it is worth your time and money to invest in a line voltage smart thermostat that allows you to control the thermostat from your smart phone. “We give rebates on up to six of them,” Beyer says. “It’s a simple trick to make sure your electric baseboard is off or at least turned way down when you are not in the living space, or at least have it on less.” This is a huge bonus for second homeowners who are not always around and for property owners that have short-term vacation rentals to prevent high electric bills that result from heating an empty or unoccupied space. YVEA rebates are only offered for line voltage thermostats that control electric baseboard heaters. 

 

HEAT TAPE TIMERS

“Even in the coldest winter months, your heat tape does not have to operate 24-7,” Beyer says. “Yet most YVEA members have it on 24-7 from November through March.” It is incredibly simple to install a timer and program your heat tape to operate from 6am – 4pm. “This small measure will cut the cost of your heat tape usage in half,” Beyer says, suggesting if you monitor it, you can reduce it even further. This is yet another example of the ways energy efficiency is also beneficial to your pocketbook—and who does not want that? Save even more money by taking advantage of YVEA heat tape timer rebates.

It does not matter if you implement one or all these energy efficient options—now you can warm your home and your heart knowing you are doing your part for the planet.         //yvea.com