Measures to Save Electricity Quickly

There are two ways to save electricity quickly. First, efficiency improvements can be made to the energy-using equipment such that consumers receive the same services but with less electricity consumed. (These are sometimes called "technical fixes") In these situations the end user is barely (or not at all) aware that improvements have been made. In the second case, the

energy consumer takes deliberate measures to reduce energy use through changes in operations or procedure which may also cause inconvenience and result in a loss of service or amenity. These are typically called "behavioral" changes.

Technical Efficiency Measures

The technical measures to save electricity quickly are similar to those used to save electricity slowly except that they may be implemented with greater intensity by combining them with special subsidies or delivery schemes. Three examples are described below.

Retrofits—especially retrofits of large, energy-using facilities—are attractive targets during an electricity crisis. About 8% of industrial electricity is used to make compressed air, much of which is lost through leaks (Rosenberg 2003).

The compressed air systems therefore represent a source of major savings. California supported inspections and tune-ups of compressed air facilities in factories. Retrofits of eight factories yielded verified savings of 2 MW.

Lighting replacements have been the most frequently used retrofit strategy. Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents (CFLs) was used in Brazil, California, and New Zealand. California consumers installed nearly eight million CFLs during the crisis period, resulting in almost 500 MW of demand reduction (Pang 2003).

California cities replaced millions of traffic lights with LED lamps, each saving about 80 watts. California aggressively encouraged consumers to replace older appliances with new units qualifying for the Energy Star endorsement of high efficiency Fuel switching offers large electricity savings.

Electricity is often used to heat air or water, especially in the residential sector and in sparsely populated areas.

There are numerous opportunities to burn wood, oil, or natural gas directly to obtain the desired heat. Homeowners in Norway and New Zealand, for example, reverted to existing wood stoves and boilers for space and water heating.

Fuel switching is an important electricity-savings measure because it removes the homes’ largest electricity-consuming end uses.

The greatest benefits from fuel switching will generally occur during shortages caused by cold weather but some measures can also save summer peak power. For example, Brazilians replaced in-line electric shower heaters with gas-fired units, thus saving about 3 kW electrical demand per unit.

Effectiveness of Technical Measures

Technological modifications require an existing infrastructure in order to deploy the products in a short time, stretching from the manufacturer capable of quickly expanding production to skilled personnel to install them.

In most cases, there will not be enough time, or the infrastructure is inadequate, to establish new efficiency improvement and retrofit programs large enough to reduce demand significantly.

Norway, for example, addressed its electricity shortage by establishing programs to install heat pumps, energy management systems, and wood pellet stoves.

Skilled personnel were overwhelmed and it is unlikely that these measures cut Norway’s electricity demand during the crisis. On the other hand, California already had an established network to deliver its "saving electricity slowly" programs.

This network, while still inadequate, was able to rapidly increase activities during the crisis and deliver significant electricity savings. Regions that are vulnerable to temporary electricity shortfalls should consider their programs to "save electricity slowly" as a kind of insurance policy that will also serve as the backbone of a team to save electricity during a crisis.