February 2013 Bill and Results

Howdy Folks-

Yes...I've been slacking.  I've been busy at work...blah blah blah, yeah I know...no excuses.  Well, I received my February Duke Energy Bill and the results are posted below:

February 2012 Bill
Total Energy Consumed:  1,075 kWh
Number of Days:  29
Average Daily Usage:  37.07 kWh/day
Heating Degree Days:  566
Temperature Normalized Average Usage:  1.90 kWh/HDD

February 2013 Bill (Jan 3- Feb 4)
Total Energy Consumed:  1,050 kWh
Number of Days:  32
Average Daily Usage:  32.81 kWh/day  (11.5% Reduction)
Heating Degree Days:  606
Temperature Normalized Average Usage:  1.73 kWh/HDD  (8.8% Reduction)
Rate Adjusted Bill Savings ($0.0996/kWh):  $14.71
One Year Rate Adjusted Bill Savings (April 2011- Feb 2013):  $296.18
Cumulative Rate Adjusted Bill Savings (April 2011- Feb 2013):  $680.45

Not too bad...a 11.5% reduction in usage compared to a year ago.  And when adjusting for temperatures differences, it's still nearly a 9% reduction.  I'll take that.  I also added in my one-year and the cumulative savings.  These savings do not take into account any system maintenance...although I doubt it would be much difference.

I will say that I do like using the Heating/Cooling Degree Day Data.  It certainly puts my HVAC-Energy usage into perspective.  I've been fairly consistent over the last 3 months (Recall the bills listed above actually represent the previous months usage):

11/2012 = 1.82 kWh/HDD
12/2012 = 1.75 kWh/HDD
1/2013  = 1.73 kWh/HDD

Interesting enough...Duke Energy Announced that they filed for a Rate Hike in NC.  They are trying for an 11.8% increase in residential Rates (among lower rate hikes for Commercial, Industrial, etc).  I expect that rates will eventually flatten out once either (a) Duke gets all its coal-fired plants in line with EPA air regs or (b) somehow Republicans destroy the EPA.  But of course, Duke Energy still recorded profits which were bolstered by the nice 7% rate hike they got last year.  Must be nice to be an energy company with low risk and can pass all costs onto its customers.

I will note that if this goes through as planned, then in in the past 3 years, rates would have increased by 22.2%.  When I evaluated my Geothermal system, I assumed a 24% (conservative 1.2%/yr) hike in electricty rates over 20 years.  Well...I guess my return on investment will be faster than I expected.  

Overall, maybe I should start looking at getting solar panels.  But, I have to build a screened in porch first...