Utility efficiency programs result in customer savings

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) officials maintain the utility’s energy efficiency programs resulted in customers saving $56.1 million on their natural gas bills last year.

“SoCalGas prides itself on providing affordable energy,” Dan Rendler, director of customer programs and assistance at SoCalGas, said. “By giving our customers the programs and tools they need to purchase high efficiency gas appliances and make their existing gas appliances more efficient, customers can both lower their bills and curb carbon emissions.”

The energy efficiency initiatives include offering rebates on home appliances and products that help conserve energy and reduce costs, officials said, noting customers can apply for rebates quickly and easily from a mobile device.

As a means of demonstrating the efficacy of energy conserving appliances, SoCalGas said a tankless water heater can save about $1,500 over its lifetime and a traditional water heater about $200; an energy efficient furnace will use about $550 less natural gas over its lifetime; and smart thermostats, which can learn a customer’s schedule and temperature preferences to adjust the temperature in the home accordingly, can save $125.

From 2013 to 2017 SoCalGas energy efficiency programs delivered more than 154 million therms in energy savings, per the utility, which is enough to power 309,000 households a year and reduced greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by more than 820,000 metric tons, the equivalent of removing nearly 175,000 cars from the road.