Microgeneration

OFFICIAL ENERGY STATISTICS FROM THE U.S.GOVERNMENT:

Household Use of Electricity Continues To Grow   

Residential electricity use has increased by 23 percent over the past decade, as efficiency improvements have been more than offset by increases in air conditioning use and the introduction of new applications. In 2030, electricity use for home cooling was 24 percent higher than the 2007 level, as the U.S. population continues to migrate to the South and West, and older homes are converted from room air-conditioning to central air conditioning. A projected 24-percent increase in the number of households also increases the demand for appliances, and total electricity use in the residential sector increases by 20 percent from 2007 to 2030 in the reference case. The share of electricity used for “other appliances” grows from 51 percent in 2007 to 58 percent in 2030, as home electronics continue to proliferate, and efficiency gains in traditional end uses (such as lighting) foster reductions in energy use per household. 

Natural gas and liquid fuels are used in the residential sector primarily for space and water heating. Few new uses have emerged over the past decade, and few are expected in the future. Thus, natural gas and liquids consumption per household falls as the energy efficiency of furnaces and building components continues to improve. Demand for space and water heating per household declines by 19 percent from 2007 to 2030, as the population shifts from colder to warmer climates. Technologies that can reduce demand for natural gas in the residential sector include condensing gas furnaces, which can attain 95 percent efficiency, and tankless (instantaneous) water heaters, which can attain 80-percent efficiency, representing an increase of 36 percent over the current standard. 

Increases in Energy Efficiency Are Projected To Continue   

The energy efficiency of purchased equipment plays a key role in determining the types and amounts of energy used in residential buildings. Delivered energy use per household declines at an average annual rate of 0.6 percent, even as the average square footage of households rises and the penetration of appliances, especially electronics, continues to grow. Stock turnover and the resulting purchase of more efficient equipment account for most of the decline in residential energy intensity, while rising energy prices and more rapid growth of households in the Sunbelt regions together account for about one-third of the decline. 

The best available technology case assumes that consumers will install only the most efficient products available, regardless of cost, at normal replacement intervals, and that new buildings will meet the most energy-efficient specifications available. Because purchases of new energy-efficient products (including compact fluorescent bulbs, solid-state lighting, and condensing gas furnaces) cut energy use without reducing service levels, residential delivered energy consumption in 2030 is 29 percent lower in the best available technology than in the 2009 technology case and 25 percent lower than in the reference case. In the best available technology case, residential delivered energy intensity declines by 1.8 percent per year, and residential electricity use declines by almost 1 percent per year. 

EIEA2008 Tax Credit Increases Installations of Efficient Equipment   

In the past, in a market dominated by such traditional energy resources as liquids, natural gas, and electricity, renewables have claimed only a tiny share of residential energy use. Wood-burning stoves and solar-powered water heaters are the most common renewable energy technologies used in households today; however, EIEA2008 provides sizable tax credits through 2016 for purchases of energy-efficient ground-source heat pumps and solar PV systems. 

Ground-source heat pumps, which extract heat from the ground to provide energy for heating and cooling, are an efficient but relatively expensive alternative to traditional air-source heat pumps. Nationwide, roughly 35,000 ground-source heat pumps were installed in residential buildings in 2007. With the $2,000 tax credit for ground-source heat pumps, installations average 90,264 per year. As a result, their market share increases more than fivefold over their 2007 share, to 1.5 percent in 2030. 

The outlook for solar PV installations is similar. Although residential solar PV has received a 30-percent Federal tax credit in the past few years, that credit was capped at $2,000. EIEA2008 removes the cap, allowing the average tax credit to reach roughly $10,000 for a 3.5-kilowatt system, thus enhancing the economics of residential installations considerably. Over the period of the tax credit (2009-2016), more than 1.6 million residential solar PV units are projected to be installed.

Coming soon is our Microgeneration Guide where we will introduce you to companies specializing in energy efficient products.  You'll be able to find it at http://MicrogenerationGuide.com, and we will place a notice on the home page of this website.