Helios Power & Control - Upgrade Your Energy Systems

Our bias is: the presence/absence of an energy-rating label on a product doesn’t automatically make your purchase a matter of conscience. This text is lifted from the Environmental Protection Agency’s excellent Energy Star website, Products page.

“Did you know that the average home spends about $2,000 on energy bills every year? Change to appliances that have earned the ENERGY STAR, and you can save $75 a year in energy costs, while saving the environment.”

I trust the EPA to assess the potential savings of Energy Star products without exaggeration. I accept that the researchers have no commercial bias when rating the products and services they list as “Energy Star” compliant. I do question the moral weight of a $75 dollar per year savings in energy costs as a motive for replacing an existing appliance, and as a motive for choosing an Energy Star-rated appliance over another reputable brand using as little as 4% more energy in normal operation.

I hear the mob with pitchforks in the distance, but that’s my position. I love the Energy Star site, I love the idea, I like the products. But I won’t make a face if I see you using an unrated coffee maker for your once-a-day brew. There are places in the home where I think Energy Star is an important factor in a buying decision (link to blog post). But you can make a personal choice about house-wide Energy Star compliance without selling the planet to the smog-worshippers, I believe. That said, when I need to replace an appliance, even an electronic gadget, I’ll be consulting the Energy Star site to gather data about the energy performance of my favorite candidates.

I admit an additional bias, as well, in being old-fashioned about conservation techniques. I still believe that the most energy-efficient light bulb is the one that’s off, and the most efficient thermostat is the one that’s turned to a low setting. A Dodge Ram beats a Prius for fuel efficiency if you leave it in the driveway, and so on. We Americans, citizens of the greatest national experiment in world history, have a sense of entitlement about convenience that drives our energy habits. Energy Star products won’t solve that problem, nor will I in this little essay. Great events will be required to start an honest conversation about a change in American energy consumption. Until then, smart buying choices about energy can be balanced against other factors like price and preference.

links to more info...