7 Winter Energy Saving Tips for Businesses

Winter arrives with colder times, heavy rains, snow, cold breezes, and many holidays that can increase the energy demand with lighting-filled decorations. The electricity demand varies between seasons, locations, and daily usage. Most only focus on the summer peak, however, winter also has a high energy demand. Why? It takes more energy to heat a space than to cool it down. Understanding winter off-peak times and the exact causes of these peaks can help you reduce your bills and the energy demand in your building by optimizing the spaces and preparing yourself for the freezing times.

What is the Winter Peak?

An electricity or energy peak is the highest if a peak is the highest point of energy or electricity demand during said period. In this case, the winter peak is the highest energy usage during winter, from 6 to 9 a. m. when people start their days, and from 4 to 8 p. m. when they get home and long for a hot shower to get cozy.

Influential Factors That Can Cause It

Heating systems

First off, winter is known for its low temperatures. One of the main reasons the energy demand is higher in winter is because of heating systems. With lower temperatures, heating systems will work harder to heat the spaces even if you don’t adjust the thermostat settings. While gas heating systems convert fuels into heat, electricity heating systems convert electrical energy into heat. Therefore, buildings with electrical heating systems will demand higher energy.

Day duration

During winter, the earth is far from the sun, meaning its rays have to travel further to reach the atmosphere until it reaches the earth’s surface. This causes a decrease of approximately 2 hours and 14 minutes of daylight during winter. Even when it’s 2 minutes of daylight lost per day, this makes a difference in how much electricity we need as days get shorter.

Geographic location

Locations with harsher winter conditions will need to rely on room heating systems and water heaters, and as the craving for warm and comforting food increases, so does the use of kitchen stoves, microwaves, ovens, etc.

Holiday season

Winter months hold most of the major holidays like Christmas and New Year. During these months, electricity usage peaks due to increased lighting, decorations, and cooking as people gather for these holidays.

Winter Peak vs Summer Peak

• Peak Hours:
  • Winter: From 6:00 to 9:00 a. m. & from 4:00 to 8:00 p. m.
  • Summer: From 4:00 to 9:00 p. m.
• Most Used Appliances:
  • Winter: Heating (electric heaters, boilers) and lighting.
  • Summer: Cooling systems (air conditioners, fans) and refrigeration devices.
• Solar Energy Systems:
  • Winter: Lower solar power because days are shorter, and daylight is reduced due to weather conditions.
  • Summer: Higher solar power and daylight, with fewer conditions causing shadows.
• Off-Peak Costs*:
  • Winter: 28-37 cents per kWh.
  • Summer: 33-42 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
• Peak Costs*:
  • Winter: 30-39 cents per kWh.
  • Summer: 40-49 cents per kWh.

These costs are based on rate plans offered by California electric utility PG&E.

Winter Energy Saving Tips to Reduce Your Bills

1. Before winter arrives, conduct an energy audit

Professionals can look at your equipment and installations to analyze areas of improvement to reduce energy and electricity consumption and recommend the best systems. Alongside an energy audit, it’s important to schedule a maintenance check with a technician to inspect and clean your system to address any minor issues before winter arrives. This will improve the efficiency of your heating system performance and also extend its lifetime.

2. Replace air filters

Eventually, filters can become clogged with dust and debris, reducing the airflow and making them work harder, translating to more energy consumption. At a minimum, you need to replace air filters quarterly, and in high-usage periods you should even consider replacing them if they’ve been on for a while. If you have a furnace, you will also need to pay close attention to the MERV Rating when selecting new filters.

3. Adjust your thermostat

energy usage increases by 3-5% by every degree it’s raised. The best AC temperature for energy saving in winter is 68°F-70°F while you’re awake and If you’re going away, you could even lower it to 56°F which will make a huge difference in your bill. This adjustment ensures that your building remains comfortable while cutting down energy consumption.

4. Inspect Ductwork and Vents

Blocked or dirty ducts can significantly lower the airflow as well. Inspect your ductwork for any vents or duct blockages, accumulation of debris, or air leaks before turning on your heating system. Sometimes, the location of furniture, rugs, or decor items can impede airflow, so make sure the placement doesn’t block the ducts and vents so the air can circulate freely.

5. Replace traditional lighting with LEDs

Light Light-emitting diode (LED) technology can save up to 90% more energy than traditional incandescent, metal halide or fluorescent lighting and have a longer lifespan. By switching to LEDs, you can improve the illumination and reduce operational and maintenance costs.

6. Window film winter energy savings

Windows and doors are responsible for approximately 20% of heat loss during winter. To keep the heat inside and stop overworking your heating systems, every window and door has to be sealed to avoid leakage. One way to do this is with 3M Window Films. It works as a thermal shield that will keep the warmth during winter but also prevents 66% of the sun’s heat during summer.

7. Work-from-home policies

The need for heating, lighting, and equipment usage will be lower with fewer staff members in the building. If your line of work allows team members to work from home while still meeting business needs, this is a great way to save energy and support work-life balance for your employees.

Reducing the Winter Peak: Energy Efficiency

Becoming more energy-conscious isn’t just about increasing your savings on your electricity bill, although it’s a huge benefit you can reap from it. By lowering your energy usage, you reduce the demand for power plants that rely on burning fossil fuels, which leads to fewer greenhouse gas emissions. We said increasing your savings wasn’t everything, but another benefit of energy-efficient methods is the ROI you can get from it. Properties with green energy features are more attractive for buyers and can increase the property value if you want to sell or rent it.

A Look to The Future on Winter Energy Saving

As technology evolves, energy efficiency will be a protagonist in managing energy consumption and reducing peaks. There are a few innovative and game-changer ideas to look out for in the future. From advanced insulation and phase-change material to maintain temperatures more effectively to artificial intelligence and machine learning to optimize energy usage by learning and predicting consumption patterns.