Electric Saving Tips

Energy Savings Tips by Equipment Type

Before replacing or adding equipment, Contact PG&E’s Business Customer Service Center at 1-800-468-4743, or the industry-specific Web pages for details about rebates for new equipment and other energy solutions that can help you save time, energy and money.

Office Equipment

Turn off all office equipment and lights every night and weekend. If you can't turn off the whole computer, turn off the monitor and the printer.
When purchasing PCs, monitors, printers, fax machines and copiers, consider ENERGY STAR models that "power down" after a user-specified period of inactivity.
If appropriate, use laptop computers and inkjet printers they consume 90 percent less energy than standard desktop computers.
Use e-mail instead of sending memos and faxing documents.
If you need to print, consider double-sided printing and reusing paper.

Lighting

Retrofit T12 lights with magnetic ballasts to T8 lights with electronic ballasts.
Replace incandescent light lamps with compact fluorescent lamps.
Consider removing excess fluorescent lights and installing reflectors. Lighter colored walls need less light.
Install motion detectors to control lighting in frequently unoccupied areas, such as restrooms.
Retrofit incandescent or fluorescent exit signs with long-lasting, low-energy LED exit signs.
Clean dusty diffusers and lamps every 6-12 months for improved lumen output.

HVAC

Set thermostats at 78 degrees F for cooling in the summer and 68 degrees F for heating in the winter.
Install electronic time clocks or setback-programmable thermostats to maximize efficiency.
Install locking covers on your thermostats to prevent employee tampering with temperature settings.
Regularly clean condenser coils, replace air filters, and check ducts and pipe insulation for damage.
Consider installing an air conditioning economizer to bring in outside air when cool outside.
Consider replacing old HVAC systems with new energy-efficient systems.
Install ceiling fans.
Install blinds or solar screen shades. Use reflective window film or awnings on all south-facing windows.
Install ceiling and wall insulation.
Insulate water heaters and supply pipes.

Refrigeration

Perform scheduled maintenance on units, especially keeping evaporator coils clean and free of ice build-up.
Adjust door latches, replace worn door gaskets, install autoclosers, and add strip curtains to walkin doors.
Use night covers on both vertical and horizontal display cases.
Disconnect anti-condensate heaters.
Keep refrigerators full (water jugs make good fillers).

Food Service Equipment

Consider replacing some or all electric cooking equipment with comparably sized gas-fired equipment.
Purchase insulated cooking equipment whenever possible (e.g., fryers, ovens, coffee machines).
Preheat cooking equipment no longer and at no higher setting than the manufacturer's recommendation.
Use cooking equipment to capacity. Fully loaded equipment utilizes energy more efficiently. Turn off unused and backup equipment during low production periods.
Filter fryer oil at least once a day to extend the oil life.
Don't overload fryer baskets beyond the recommended capacity. Overloading increases cook time.
Where applicable, replace broilers with grooved or smooth griddles to significantly reduce the associated energy consumption.
Make sure oven doors fit tightly and gaskets are in good condition.

Time-of-Use Energy Reduction Tips

Here are just a few good energy reduction tips and practices to get you started on lowering your electricity use during peak times.

Business Customers

Turn off equipment when not in use.
Set thermostats at 78 degrees Fahrenheit for cooling in the summer and 68 degrees Fahrenheit for heating in the winter.
Close curtains, shades and blinds at night, during unoccupied periods of the day and on weekends to maintain comfortable room temperatures and lower heating and cooling costs.
Regularly clean and perform maintenance on AC and HVAC units, cleaning condenser coils, replacing air filters and checking ducts and pipe insulation for damage.

Install motion detectors to control lighting in frequently unoccupied areas, such as restrooms.
Add weather stripping, caulking or foam around windows and doors to reduce drafts.
Adjust door latches, replace worn door gaskets, install auto-closers and add strip curtains to walk-in refrigerator and freezer doors.
When purchasing desktop computers, monitors, printers, fax machines and copiers, consider ENERGY STAR^® models that hibernate after periods of inactivity.

Agriculture Customers

Turn off or turn down chillers, and reset chilled water temperature.
Move batch and continuous processes to either before or after peak hours.
Shift irrigation tasks to take place before or after peak hours.
Turn down or turn off greenhouse, barn and yard lights where possible.

Alternate cooling methods between cold storage areas to lower simultaneous demand.
Adjust variable speed drive controls to reduce load from fans, pumps and chillers.
Turn down or turn off pumping equipment.
Decrease use of conveyor belts, vertical lifts and non-essential process equipment.

Peak Day Pricing Event Day Tips

Peak Day Pricing Event Days are called with approximately 24-hour notice, to provide you enough time to make changes to your activities that will reduce energy demand and help enhance system reliability. Here are just a few good energy reduction practices to get you started.

Business Customers

Turn off all non-essential indoor/outdoor lighting, signage, window displays and office equipment not in use.
Turn off all decorative features, such as fountains, lighting and ambient audio and video displays.
Pre-cool work areas, then cycle constant air volume heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units or temporarily reset static pressure in variable air volume HVAC units, and turn off ceiling fans and room fans.
Load-cycle, temperature reset, or pre-cool the package AC units in your facility if possible. Some facilities with package AC units can do load-cycling, temperature reset, and possibly pre-cooling.

Turn off beverage vending machines and shift use of ice makers before or after peak hours.
Minimize use of equipment by using peak periods for meeting times.
Unplug battery chargers and use only pre-charged equipment; prepare by charging batteries and battery-operated equipment prior to peak hours.
Adjust employee schedules and shifts so that times of increased production or energy use occur before or after peak hours.

Agriculture Customers

Turn off or turn down chillers, and reset chilled water temperature.
Move batch and continuous processes to either before or after planned events.
Shift irrigation tasks to take place before or after peak hours on Peak Day Pricing Event Days.
Turn down or turn off greenhouse, barn and yard lights where possible.

Alternate cooling methods between cold storage areas to lower simultaneous demand.
Adjust variable speed drive controls to reduce load from fans, pumps and chillers.
Turn down or turn off pumping equipment.
Decrease use of conveyor belts, vertical lifts and non-essential process equipment.