Lower electricity costs and increase safety with LED holiday lights.

Further maximize holiday lighting savings with timers. Limit light displays to no more than six evening hours daily. Leaving lights on 24 hours will quadruple your energy costs—and create four times the pollution. Also, untended incandescent lights can cause fires, so always unplug your interior holiday lights before going to bed or leaving the house.

Unplug the video games and turn off the millionth broadcast of It’s a Wonderful Life – and read your favorite holiday story instead. Your children may appreciate your attention and time, and you will be saving energy in the process.

Teach personal finance to your children in these difficult economic times — conduct a home energy audit together. Locate everywhere that you are needlessly wasting energy AND money. Minor changes can capture precious dollars that could be better spent for other needs.

In the spirit of Kwanzaa—the African-American spiritual week of remembering, reassessing, recommitting, and rejoicing –reassess your power consumption, recommit to energy-efficient practices, and rejoice in the savings.

Once you’ve lit the Chanukah menorah, spin a dreidel by candlelight – it uses no energy! By the eighth night, you may not need any electric lights at all!

Switch to solar generated energy.  For as little as $1000 down you can move to solar energy for 2010.

Heat your home at 68 degrees or cooler with the thermostat fan switch on "auto." To save even more, lower your thermostat to 65 degrees or cooler at bedtime or when you're away from home. Don’t forget to wear cozy sweaters to stay warm!

Clean or change your A/C filter once a month. Many homes use strip heating in their air conditioning units, which have to work harder to heat the house. A clogged filter makes your A/C work harder than it has to.

Reduce hot water temperature. Set your water heater to the "normal" setting or 120 degrees, unless the owner's manual for your dishwasher requires a higher setting.

Seal up leaks. Caulk leaks around windows and doors. Look for places where you have pipes, vents or electrical conduits that go through the wall, ceiling or floor. Caulk works best on small gaps. Your hardware store should have products to close the larger gaps.
Sources:
-Alliance for Saving Energy

-Floriday Light and Power

-For "Safe Holiday Lighting Tips and benefits of using LED's" from Southern California Edison, click here.

Residential Ground Mounted Solar Power system in Temecula, CA by HelioPower

In concert with the solar industry’s biggest U.S. event, Solar Power International 08, HelioEMS, Energy Management Solutions, and HelioPower have announced a joint promotion to assist California customers.  The promotion, which runs through the end of the year, involves both energy savings technologies and a $500 discount on any residential or commercial solar panel system installation.  Solar Power International 08 takes place in San Diego, October 13-17, 2008.

Energy evaluation and reduction is the initial step any company should take to improve energy efficiency.  All commercial clients who sign up for a solar power system during this promotion and/or at the show will receive a complimentary energy on site walk through of their facility with a HelioEMS team member. 

From HelioPower, residential and commercial clients who contract for a solar power system will receive a $500 discount off their system price and a check for $500 on any referrals they send that result in a new solar panel system being installed.

“This promotion could not have come at a better time,” said Steve LoRusso, Vice President of Sales at HelioPower.  “With the extension of the 30% Federal Income Tax Credit now in place and with the removal of the $2,000 cap from residential tax credits, that easily makes what was a good investment in solar an absolutely great investment!  With utility rates going up like a rocket, we just can’t wait to show our new customers why they need to take a look at what could be their best investment in a decade.  Even if you looked at solar previously, you need to re-visit this investment, as solar is now 30% more lucrative!”

The solar investment tax credit provisions in H.R. 1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, passed last week include:

• Extension for 8 years of the 30-percent tax credit for both residential and commercial solar installations
• Elimination of the $2,000 monetary cap for residential solar electric installations, creating a true 30-percent tax credit (effective for property placed in service after December 31, 2008)
• Allowance for Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) filers, both businesses and individuals, to take the credit

These credits are in addition to local state, city and utility based rebates that vary according to each region. 

“We’re delighted to partner with HelioPower to insure commercial clients are utilizing energy efficiently, prior to investing in a solar photovoltaic (PV) system,” said TR Bietsch, Managing Director of HelioEMS, Energy Management Solutions. “An energy walk-through of their facility enables us to assist customers right away with ideas and suggestions to save money on their electric bill.” 

To support Amoretti’s sustainable energy goals, the Energy Efficiency contract will implement lighting, HVAC and monitoring facility improvement measures based on the findings of an initial Energy Audit conducted by HelioEMS.  The company engineers and installs energy solutions designed to provide sustainable energy, improve facility efficiency and reduce energy costs.

“Amoretti manufacturers over 1800 ingredients for the food industry in one facility located in Oxnard, CA explained HelioEMS Managing Director, Thomas R. (TR) Bietsch.  “The Energy Audit we conducted revealed we could help them manage their energy usage more efficiently and reduce their overall energy consumption. The essential deliverables included using less energy, intelligently controlling the load and shedding load per the utility request in demand response. These objectives support both their company financial and environmental goals.”

The contract calls for the reduction of HVAC and refrigeration costs and related engineering including lighting improvements, monitoring and long term energy planning, aimed at reducing peak demand and developing a demand response strategy which will include load shifting and other strategies.

“Perfection is the mission we bring to our food ingredient preparation,” said Amoretti Chief Executive Officer, Jack Barsoumian.  “Working with the HelioEMS team, we are able to bring this same passion to our sustainable energy goals.”