The recent Texas electricity emergencies are a clear indication that the state and the rest of the country as well, is not yet fully energy independent. Unless really cheap electricity is made abundantly available to all, each member of community should do his or her part in conserving energy. Electricity is a very important commodity and unless people do something to protect available resources, energy security for future generations will be placed in jeopardy.

The Need for Energy Conservation

The state’s capacity to generate Texas electricity is limited and is enough to produce energy to sustain communities under normal circumstances. However, under extreme circumstances such as the significantly high temperatures encountered this summer, electricity consumption will swing towards the higher end and prolonged situations under this condition will eventually affect energy reserves. Industries and residential consumers have no options but to cut down on consumption or risk subjecting their communities to rolling blackouts. The state and the rest of the country as well are working overtime to develop viable and cost-effective alternative sources to generate electricity. The state of Texas is also working on increasing transmission facilities that will deliver generated Texas electricity from wind farms, solar power plants, and other alternative energy facilities and to the urban areas where consumers are located. However, such improvements in capacity will only be realized a few years from now. In the meantime, Texas residents have no choice but to conserve energy – and make it an integral part of day-to-day living.

New Appeals for Energy Conservation

The Public Utility Commission of Texas and officials from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) have made new appeals to the public to do their share in energy conservation and reduce their consumption of Texas electricity particularly during peak hours. Some basic tips and techniques for energy conservation were provided to guide residents on the steps they should do to conserve energy. Aside from these energy conservation tips which were tagged as the “Powerful Advice” initiatives, there are other things consumers can do to reduce their consumption of Texas Electricity or optimize their use. These techniques include:

• Use energy efficient compact fluorescent lamps for general lighting purposes instead of using old incandescent lamps. And to get even more savings, you can also make use of LED (Light Emitting Diode) lamps. LED lights are more expensive when purchased but the energy savings they can give you in the long run will be worth their initial costs

• Turn off electrical and electronic devices and appliances when not in use. Also, it would be best to unplug them as most appliances are actually placed only in standby mode when turned off and would still consume trickle amounts of electricity. ERCOT’s energy conservation tips advised users to turn off these appliances between 3 pm to 7 pm – peak hours for Texas electricity consumption.

• When washing your dishes, it is advisable to simply use an air drying method to conserve electricity. If you’re using a dish washer, the wash cycle will generate heat which will be enough to dry out your dishes without having to go through the drying cycle.

• There is actually no need to wash clothes in warm water as cold water will suffice. Laundry detergents are now available which you can use for cold water but would be similarly effective in cleaning your clothes

• When looking for new appliances, select those that are certified with an Energy Star. This will ensure that the appliances you purchased are tested for energy efficiency.

There are more energy conservation tips available and you can get these tips by searching for them online or through the Shop Texas Electricity blog. It would be best to familiarize yourself with these tips but the key thing here is start implementing these energy conservation tips – now.