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Electric Vehicles

Plug-In Electric Vehicles

  • A plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) is a vehicle that can be recharged from an external source of electricity, store electricity in the rechargeable batteries and use the stored energy to power the vehicle.
  • It can also be considered a vehicle that uses electricity as its primary fuel or uses electricity in collaboration with a conventional engine to improve efficiency.
  • PEVs come in two primary configurations: battery-powered electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVS).

Battery Duration

  • Battery-powered electric vehicles travel distances vary by model.
  • They can travel approximately 70 to 245 miles on one charge.
  • PHEVs typically have smaller batteries and a shorter all-electric range, approximately 10 to 50 miles, but have a backup gasoline engine to increase range.

Charging an Electric Vehicle

  • Today, 80% of charging is completed at residential locations and 20% at other locations.
  • An AC level 2 charging station is recommended for residential usage with a 240-volt circuit.
  • Typical charging rates are up to 25 electric miles per hour. DC fast-charging stations, found at non-residential locations, can provide fast and convenient charging with the ability to charge a vehicle’s battery to 80% capacity in 30 minutes or less, depending on the size of the EVs battery.
  • To find public charging stations, visit ChargePoint or PlugShare.

Electric Vehicle Advantages

  • If you drive 12,000 miles in a year, an all-electric vehicle could save you more than $700 in fuel savings!
  • Decreased maintenance needs can provide additional savings. Unlike traditional engines, plug-in electric vehicles are powered by electricity – Conventional transportation is wholly dependent on petroleum and results in the U.S. spending more than $1 billion per day on foreign oil – Electricity generation in the United States uses a diverse mix of domestic sources.
  • Much quieter to operate, many electric vehicles have a gearless or single gear design that eliminates gear shifting, thus providing .smoother acceleration and braking.

How Your Home Uses Electricity

How Your

  • 53.1% Space Heating & Cooling
  • 16.9% Water Heating
  • 10.2% Other
  • 4.6% Lighting
  • 4% Refrigeration
  • 3.4% Clothes Washer, Dryer, Dishwasher
  • 3.1% Cooking
  • 1.7% Computers

 

Comprehensive Home Energy Saving Solutions

Comprehensive Home Energy Saving Solutions (CHESS) Information (PDF)

“I thought we were doing pretty good, but I learned that there is a lot more we can do to save energy in our home. The benefits we received were amazing. I was surprised to learn our cooperative is offering such a wonderful service to help us use our energy more wisely.” – Al and Vicky Wright

Al and Vicky Wright

Call SCAEC and make your best CHESS move today. One simple phone call can save you money all year long.

Save Money on Your Energy Bills

For just $20, you’ll get at least $40 in energy efficient materials, plus a complete energy audit and select improvements.

Our First Move

Technician assessing house

  • Each appointment begins with a thorough energy efficiency inspection; from the attic to the crawlspace, a certified technician will identify key factors in your energy use. Certain issues can be addressed immediately through the program.
  • Common improvements made are duct sealing, air sealing, A/C cleaning, water heater adjustments and attic insulation adjustments.
  • Once these issues are finalized, the technician will present a written report of the homes energy usage with key findings, a list of improvements that were made and suggestions to further increase the efficiency of your home.
  • Before leaving your home the technician will provide a package of energy efficient products valued at more than $40 for your home, including LED bulbs, LED night-lights, an advanced power strip and more.

Duct Sealing

Duct sealing

  • Duct leakage into your attic or crawlspace is more common than you might think.
  • Small gaps in your ducts connections, as well as holes or more severe issues could be siphoning conditioned air out of your home.
  • This leads to higher utility bills and uncomfortable rooms.
  • Duct sealing helps keep more of that comfortable air inside your home.

Air Sealing

Air Sealing graphic

  • Sometimes seemingly insignificant cracks, holes and gaps in your home could add up to the size of a window, one that stays open year-round!
  • An experienced technician knows where to look for these issues and will reduce the amount of air leaking in and out of the home.

A/C Cleaning

    • A dirty cooling system can struggle to move air and cool your home.
    • A technician will clean the accessible components of your unit to improve its function.man cleaning AC unit

AC Cleaning: before and after

Other Improvements

WaterHeater Adjustments:

  • Check and adjust temperature.
  • Insulate pipes.

Attic Insulation Adjustments:

family

  • Fill in spots with extremely low insulation levels.
  • Address issues with attic doors or attic fans.

Energy Efficient Product Package

  • light bulb LED light bulbs and night-lights use much less energy and last much longer than traditional bulbs.
  • Advanced power strip help eliminate standby power of certain devices.
  • Water saving shower heads and faucet aerators help reduce hot water usage, saving money on both electricity and water.