@dirkandlorie
I had to chuckle. In Quebec where I live the hydro utility offers payment options that reward people who are energy conscious. If one enrolls they notify via email or text of upcoming events on very cold days (6 to 10 am and/or 4 to 8pm) where if one makes an effort and actually use less energy than they normally do they will get a credit for each kwh saved of 10 times the usual cost.
I set alarms on my phone to remind and switch off the breakers for my baseboard heaters AND build fires in the two woodstoves (upstairs and downstairs). They record the savings on one's account the following morning so one can see how effective their efforts are. I normally use less energy than 75% of homes of similar size in the province.
The utility goes even further. They have graduated options that set a challenge if one wants. Their most rewarding option gives much greater credits but also penalize if savings are nor realized. (I am not perfect and make mistakes so have not yet elected this option. One day I might simply to challenge myself.)
The utility goes even further. They will install smart thermostats whereever needed (each baseboard, furnace, etc.) that they can control to automatically reduce or turnoff the appliance without human intervention. They do this free of charge for the cost of the thermostat AND THE COST OF THE ELECTRICIAN WHO HAS TO COME TO YOUR HOME TO DO THE INSTALLATION. Non trivial as the total can run into hundreds, even low thousands to effect. I have not elected to do this since it is an easy thing to do manually if one is disciplined AND I do not trust the government or the utility to not use this power when I do not want them to.
Quebec has an abundant supply of electricity due to it's size, geography, and plethora of hydro electric dams. They also have the lowest cost to consumers for energy in North America.
There is currently great concern by energy activists and some consumers because the current government wants to entice builders/operators of large AI data centers to come to the province. For this and other reasons the current government will be booted out of power in the upcoming election.
Energy matters and more folks should be concerned about usage.
I had to chuckle. In Quebec where I live the hydro utility offers payment options that reward people who are energy conscious. If one enrolls they notify via email or text of upcoming events on very cold days (6 to 10 am and/or 4 to 8pm) where if one makes an effort and actually use less energy than they normally do they will get a credit for each kwh saved of 10 times the usual cost.
I set alarms on my phone to remind and switch off the breakers for my baseboard heaters AND build fires in the two woodstoves (upstairs and downstairs). They record the savings on one's account the following morning so one can see how effective their efforts are. I normally use less energy than 75% of homes of similar size in the province.
The utility goes even further. They have graduated options that set a challenge if one wants. Their most rewarding option gives much greater credits but also penalize if savings are nor realized. (I am not perfect and make mistakes so have not yet elected this option. One day I might simply to challenge myself.)
The utility goes even further. They will install smart thermostats whereever needed (each baseboard, furnace, etc.) that they can control to automatically reduce or turnoff the appliance without human intervention. They do this free of charge for the cost of the thermostat AND THE COST OF THE ELECTRICIAN WHO HAS TO COME TO YOUR HOME TO DO THE INSTALLATION. Non trivial as the total can run into hundreds, even low thousands to effect. I have not elected to do this since it is an easy thing to do manually if one is disciplined AND I do not trust the government or the utility to not use this power when I do not want them to.
Quebec has an abundant supply of electricity due to it's size, geography, and plethora of hydro electric dams. They also have the lowest cost to consumers for energy in North America.
There is currently great concern by energy activists and some consumers because the current government wants to entice builders/operators of large AI data centers to come to the province. For this and other reasons the current government will be booted out of power in the upcoming election.
Energy matters and more folks should be concerned about usage.
