Recent content by davidfay999

Could you expand on this? I've heard of lots of good reasons for Smart Meters but this isn't one of them. Smart Meters could certainly provide that information, but aren't there easier ways to do it (like monitoring some central location)? David

I too watch my electricity usage regularly. I use a TED with custom software that lets me view my usage with one second resolution on the web: http://energy.shadypixel.com (when I'm out of town, like right now, all you see is the refrigerator cycling and occasionally defrosting). I was never...

That's roughly 36,000 BTU/year/ft2 -- about average. The EIA gives a residential energy intensity for single-family detached homes in the West as 37,000 BTU/year/ft2 (google "energy intensity per square foot for residential housing"). David

Ira: Wind-generated electricity usually costs about twice as much as coal-generated electricity. I don't know where you are located, but it might be hydro rather than wind. Otherwise, there's probably a subsidy involved. David

Lou Apo: You're doing pretty well on energy consumption. The (very rough) average use of residential energy in the US is 50,000 btu/year/ft2 of conditioned space. If you're using 3000 kWh per month for 6000 ft2, that's (3000 kWh/month x 12 months/year x 3412 btu/kWh) / 6000 ft2 = 20,472...