Alaska Energy Authority offers the following tools for check-out by Alaskans seeking to assess opportunities for improved efficiency in their homes or workplaces. These can be checked out from our office for two weeks, or mailed to you anywhere is Alaska.
To check out equipment just stop in to AEA’s office at 813 W Northern Lights Blvd in Anchorage (call ahead to have equipment ready for you), or contact Sean Skaling at 907-771-3079 or sskaling@aidea.org to have it mailed to you.
- Watt Meters - Plug these meters into an outlet, then plug an appliance into them and read how much electricity they are using. Watt meters are good at assessing relative energy load of appliances, phantom energy load of appliances, and can give you a better picture of how you can cut electric bills! Three types are available:
- Kill A Watt
Simple to use
Displays current energy use
Total kWh used over time
- Watts Up Pro Watt Meter and Power Analyzer
Displays current energy use
Total kWh used over time
Data-logs energy use across time for downloading to your PC
- WattsUp.net
Same as Watts Up Pro
Also, web enabled to post real time energy use to a dedicated webpage.
- Light Meters - These meters help auditors assess the light levels of a room to prepare for energy efficient lighting upgrades or determine if current light levels are appropriate.
- Ballast Checker - Point these checkers at your fluorescent light fixtures, and quickly read the type of ballasts they contain: magnetic or electronic. This tool is great for easily assessing the ballast type in order to more accurately calculate the energy savings potential of efficiency improvements.
- Occupancy light sensors and data loggers - These occupancy sensors record whether the lights are turned on, and whether anyone is in the room using them! These tools are great for assessing light wastage, as well as feasibility of an occupancy sensor to control the lights.
- Temperature and Humidity data loggers - These devices record temperature and humidity indoors and outdoors and the data can be uploaded to your PC for analysis. They are especially good for office spaces to test air conditioning schedules, overnight, and on weekends.
Building Energy Monitors - Chugach Electric Association’s Smart Power program offers Building Energy Monitor (BEM) devices to its members. BEMs are a series of devices that communicate with one another and the electric meter to display real-time consumption data, both online and on an in-home display screen. This real-time display can help people understand what time of day they are experiencing high consumption as well as which devices or appliances are increasing their bills. Users can also use the remote wireless interface to turn devices on and off. BEMs are ‘Smart Grid’ technology, providing end users with more control and better information about their consumption.
Chugach’s BEM loan program allows members to borrow a ‘Tendril’ BEM device package for up to six months. After upgrading to a meter that can communicate with the BEM, users pick up their equipment at Chugach’s headquarters on Electron Drive. The equipment is then plugged in at the home location. Within minutes users can register their devices, login online and create a home profile to view their home’s consumption remotely and in real time. To date, 135 households have participated in Chugach’s BEM loan program. For more information about Chugach’s BEM loan program contact Chugach’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Specialist at 762-4336 or visit Chugach’s website at http://www.chugachelectric.com/energy_efficiency.html
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Seafood Processing Facility Energy Audit Kit – AEA teamed with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program and Institute of Northern Engineering to provide sophisticated energy auditing and power monitoring kits for industrial facilities, starting with seafood processing plants. These kits are designed for small and medium-sized processors and require an electrician to set up. The kits contain detailed instructions to help processors gather data on energy use and evaluate their processes for efficiency opportunities. For more information, go to http://seagrant.uaf.edu/map/seafood/energyefficiency/index.php; or contact Chuck Crapo, Marine Advisory Program Seafood Technologist at (907) 486-15154 or cacrapo@alaska.edu; or Richard Wies, Associate Professor, Institute of Northern Engineering at (907) 474-7071 or rwwiesjr@alaska.edu.
