Energy Efficiency Pays

Just calculated that we saved 43% off our utility bills over the past year at home by switching to Geothermal from oil.  A 5-7yr payback--depending on whether you think fossil fuels are going to increase in price.  And, the system isn't smelly, is more comfortable and reliable. 

I heard story after story at the Groom Energy conference last week from people like Jeff Holmes at Genzyme and Danny Beaudoin from Harvard about how companies can save money through Enterprise Smart Grid technologies, such as what Enernoc offers, and simple energy efficiency.  Cool stories from Al Scarameli at Beacon Capital on eliminating waste in their portfolio.  Anyhow, with demand/response, when the grid is stressed, the Enernoc notifies participants who curtail lights, turn up set-points and save energy.  That means the ISO doesn't need to turn up those dirty coal plants on the hottest summer days.  Companies save money, get paid by Enernoc and the grid works better.  It's not the future: it's now.

But, is curtailment the NEW baseline?  I mean, if companies can curtail usage on command, do they really need those lights on anyway?  Good response from Enernoc's Gregg Dixon: Smart grids are a pathway to finding more efficiency measures.