Reducing electricity use
Learn how to increase energy savings for your business
Use the information on this page to help your business reduce energy consumption. The tips are categorized by:
- Equipment type
- Time of Use
- Peak Day Pricing Event Days participation
Read tips on saving energy by equipment type
Learn how you can save time, energy and money before replacing or adding equipment. Contact a PG&E representative, or visit our website for details about rebates for new equipment and other energy solutions. To speak with a representative, contact Business Customer Service. You can also get industry-specific information online. Visit Find money saving solutions for your business.
Expand the following sections to get tips on saving energy by equipment type.
Get energy-saving tips for office equipment
Use the following energy-saving tips for your office equipment:
- Turn off all office equipment and lights every night and weekend. If you can't turn off computers, turn off monitors and printers.
- When purchasing PCs, monitors, printers, fax machines and copiers, consider ENERGY STAR® models that shut down or hibernate after a user-specified period of inactivity.
- If appropriate, use laptop computers, which consume 90 percent less energy than standard desktop computers.
- Use inkjet printers.
- Use email instead of printing or faxing documents.
- If you must print, reuse paper and print double-sided, when possible.
Get energy-saving tips for lighting
Use the following tips to help you save energy with your lighting solutions:
- Retrofit T12 lights with magnetic ballasts to T8 lights with electronic ballasts.
- Replace incandescent light lamps with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).
- 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 six to 12 months for improved lumen output.
Get energy-saving tips for heating, ventilation and air conditioning
Use the following energy-saving tips for your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment:
- Set thermostats at 78º F for cooling in the summer and 68º F for heating in the winter.
- Install electronic time clocks or programmable setback thermostats to maximize efficiency.
- Install locking covers on thermostats to prevent employees from tampering with temperature settings.
- Clean condenser coils and replace air filters regularly.
- Check ducts and pipe insulation for damage regularly.
- Consider installing an air conditioning (AC) economizer to bring in outside air when the weather is cool.
- 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.
Get energy-saving tips for refrigeration
Use the following energy-saving tips for your refrigeration equipment:
- Perform scheduled maintenance on all units.
- Keep evaporator coils clean and free of ice build-up.
- Adjust door latches, replace worn door gaskets, install automatic door closers and add strip curtains to walk-in doors.
- Use night covers on vertical and horizontal display cases.
- Disconnect anti-condensate heaters.
- Keep refrigerators full. (Water jugs make good fillers).
Get energy-saving tips for food service equipment
Use the following energy-saving tips for your food service equipment:
- Consider replacing some or all electric cooking equipment with comparably sized gas-fired equipment.
- Purchase insulated cooking equipment whenever possible, including fryers, ovens and coffee machines.
- Preheat cooking equipment for no longer than and at a setting no higher than the manufacturer's recommendation.
- Use cooking equipment to capacity. Fully loaded equipment uses energy more efficiently. Turn off unused and backup equipment during periods of low production.
- Don't overload fryer baskets beyond the recommended capacity. Overloading increases cook time.
- Replace broilers with grooved or smooth griddles to significantly reduce the associated energy consumption.
- Ensure that oven doors fit tightly and gaskets are in good condition.
Get tips on Time-of-Use energy reduction
Expand the following sections to learn energy reduction tips and practices to lower electricity use during peak times.
View tips for business customers
- Turn off equipment when not in use.
- Set thermostats at 78ºF for cooling in the summer and 68ºF 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 maintain AC and HVAC units: clean condenser coils and replace air filters; check 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 automatic door 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 shut down or hibernate after a user-specified period of inactivity.
View tips for agriculture customers
- Turn off or turn down chillers, and reset chilled water temperature.
- Move batch and continuous processes to occur before or after planned events.
- Shift irrigation tasks to occur before or after peak hours on Peak Day Pricing Event Days.
- Turn down or turn off greenhouse, barn and yard lights, when possible.
- Alternate cooling methods between cold storage areas to lower simultaneous demand.
- Adjust controls for variable speed drives 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.
View tips for 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 HVAC units or temporarily reset static pressure in variable air volume HVAC units. Turn off ceiling fans and room fans.
- Load-cycle, temperature reset or pre-cool the package AC units in your facility, when possible. Some facilities with package AC units can do load-cycling, temperature resetting and possibly pre-cooling.
- Turn off beverage vending machines and shift use of icemakers to before or after peak hours.
- Minimize office equipment use by scheduling meetings during peak hours.
- Unplug battery chargers and use only pre-charged equipment. Prepare by charging batteries and battery-operated equipment before peak hours.
- Adjust employees’ schedules and shifts so that times of increased production or energy use occur before or after peak hours.
View tips for agriculture customers
- Turn off or turn down chillers, and reset chilled water temperature.
- Move batch and continuous processes to occur before or after planned events.
- Shift irrigation tasks to occur before or after peak hours on Peak Day Pricing Event Days.
- Turn down or turn off greenhouse, barn and yard lights, when possible.
- Alternate cooling methods between cold storage areas to lower simultaneous demand.
- Adjust controls for variable speed drives 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.
COVID-19 Response: New Deferral Period for Existing Loans
The company is offering a loan deferral program for business customers with an active On-Bill Financing (OBF) loan under PG&E's Energy Efficiency Financing program.
Learn more ways to save
The following resources provide additional energy-saving information:
- Learn how the U.S. Department of Energy addresses energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. Visit ENERGY.GOV
- Learn how ENERGY STAR® helps businesses and individuals save money and protect the climate through superior energy efficiency. Visit ENERGY STAR
- Access resources to help you get started with motor management. Visit Motor Decisions Matter
Get information on exterior lighting solutions for businesses
Learn about energy-efficient exterior lighting options for your business.