What's the Payback?
The question everyone asks about solar electricity
Introduction
How does “payback” work?
How do I get the best payback on efficiency?
How much investment in energy efficiency is necessary to substantially reduce the size of a PV system?
What else is part of my personal payback?
Smart shopping to cut initial costs
A brief word on energy efficiency opportunities
Resources
A brief word on energy efficiency opportunities
Energy efficiency opportunities are those things that you haven't done already to cut your home energy bill. They vary depending on both the efficiency of your house and your family's style of energy use. Savings can be achieved by investing money in new appliances, materials, or landscaping, or by changing habits, which costs effort rather than cash. Low to no-cost efficiency options include installing compact fluorescent light bulbs and turning out lights when they are not being used; turning off the computer, the TV and other electronic devices when no one is using them; or installing a programmable thermostat that turns the temperature down in the winter and up in the summer when no one is at home. The cost of further lowering your home's energy use will depend on what your own situation demands.
ResourcesYou will need to do a careful assessment of how efficiently you presently use energy. There is a great deal of information available from other sources about strategies and technologies for making a home more energy efficient.
focusonenergy.com
Wisconsin's Focus on Energy program offers information and incentives for residential energy efficiency and renewable energy options.
energystar.gov
This site provides information on energy efficient appliances that meet federal Energy Star program standards. The product information page has a link to a calculator that lets you compare operating costs and energy use of an Energy Star qualified appliance with a non-qualified appliance.
www.homeenergy.org
The web site of Home Energy Magazine offers helpful information and comprehensive list of links.
www.aceee.org/consumerguide
This is the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy web site page on appliance efficiency.
http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumerinfo/energy_savers
The US Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy web page features the Home Report Card Quiz.
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