August Update: Cool Down Summer Energy Use

Thanks more to the weather than to me, I’m back on track with the summer energy reduction project. Last month’s increase over the previous year was a surprise, since I hadn’t realized how much I was running the A/C. The mid-August bill isn’t a model of economy, but for one of the hottest months of the year, and with me home writing most days, I was still pleased to see a reduction from 2007. I’ve been trying to turn off the air conditioner overnight as much as possible, and also just getting used to being hot during part of the day, which seems to be paying off. The mid-August bill shows we used 456 kWh in the invoice period. While this is certainly up from July, it’s still less about 9.5% less than the same bill last year.

Here’s where we are. Meter readings and dates (better month bolded):

• June 2007: 276 kWh / June 2008: 179 kWh
• July 2007: 236 kWh / July 2008: 334 kWh
  
• August 2007: 476 kWh / August 2008: 456 kWh
  
• September 2007: 232 kWh
• TOTALS: Summer 2008: ???? / Summer 2007: 1220 kWh

Overall we’re slightly ahead of this point last summer (969 kWh this year, vs. 988 kWh at this point in 2007). My math skills are tenuous at best, but this looks like a 9.8% improvement. My goal is 10% for the summer, with just one more billing period to go. Will we make it? Stay tuned!

Enjoy this post? Click here for daily feeds.