Extension
System Promotes Energy 
Posted in The Messenger,
By: Jaine Treadwell
The Pike County Extension System, along with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, is encouraging Alabamians to buy Energy Star products.
Dena Barnes, County Extension Agent, said “Energy Star is a label identifying energy-efficient products that meet guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy.”
“Energy Star-labeled appliances meet strict energy efficiency criteria without sacrificing performance of design,” Barnes said. “While the products may cost more up front – from 10 to 30 percent more-the additional cost will be recovered in long-term savings in energy costs.”
Barnes said more than 30 categories of appliances currently carry Energy Star labels, including refrigerators, room air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes washers and dehumidifiers.
“Office equipment including computers, fax machines and copiers also carry the label,” she said. “These pieces of equipment save energy by entering a low-power sleep mode when they are not in use.”
Supporters of Energy Star-labeled heating and cooling equipment say that it is an investment that will save money and energy while maintaining the comfort level in the home and office.
Barnes said Energy Star products are the same or better than standard product, only they use less energy. Since these products use less energy, they save consumers money on their electric bills and help protect the environment by causing fewer harmful emissions from power plants. Some examples of savings are:
●Qualified refrigerators are at least 10% more efficient than the minimum federal efficiency standard.
●Qualified TV’s consume3 watts or less when switched off, compared to a standard TV, which consume almost 6 watts on average.
●Office equipment that qualifies automatically enters a low-power “sleep” mode after a period of inactivity.
●Qualified light bulbs use two-thirds less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and must meet additional operating and reliability guidelines.
●Qualified furnaces offer a rating of 90% AFUE or greater, which is about 15% more efficient than the minimum federal efficiency standard.
“A typical household spends about 10 to 15 percent of its annual electric bill on lighting,” Barnes said. The average home has about 30 lights. By replacing the bulbs in the five most frequently used lights with Energy Star lighting, homeowners can reap savings of more than $60 a year, Barnes said.
Studies have shown the refrigerators are the highest energy-consuming appliances in the home. Consumers can save an extra $30 to $50 annually in utility costs by replacing refrigerators with Energy Star-labeled products.
Barnes said millions of Americans are already embracing the change to Energy Star products. More than 630 million products with the Energy Star label have been purchased and thousands of companies are working with the EPA to adopt more energy efficient practices.
“Gov. Riley
has proclaimed October as Energy Awareness Month in