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Energy Savings

April 2, 2020

GET SMART: Get a smart thermostat from YEC

More than 200 York Electric members have purchased ecobee thermostats at a discounted rate since the co-op introduced its Smart Thermostat Program in November 2019.

Apply Online Here

Using ecobees gives these members greater control of home comfort settings—and, potentially, energy savings. If that sounds good to you, here’s more information:

Who can participate?

Any YEC residential members who have a reliable Wi-Fi internet connection in their home.

ecobee Smart Thermostat

What is the cost of an ecobee thermostat?

An ecobee 3 lite will be discounted to $85 for YEC members. An ecobee smart thermostat with voice control will be discounted to $145 for members.

How do I qualify for cash back?

Members who purchase a smart thermostat will need to participate in at least 70 percent of peak events in the Beat the Peak program throughout the year to receive $100 after one year. If you continue to participate in 70 percent of peak events, you will also receive $50 yearly.

How do I sign up? Contact Brent Clinton at Brent.Clinton@yorkelectric.net or apply online here.

Icon

[PDF] YEC ecobee Smart Thermostat Agreement

762 KB 648 downloads

 

c Expand All C Collapse All

Smart Thermostat FAQ

a

Who can participate?

Any YEC residential members who have a reliable WiFi internet connection in their home.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What is the cost of an ecobee thermostat?

An ecobee3 lite will be discounted to $85 for YEC members, and an ecobee SmartThermostat with Alexa Voice Control will be discounted to $145 for YEC members.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

Who will install my thermostat?

Whomever you choose. After the thermostat is installed and we verify the signal, YEC will reimburse you $75 towards your installation cost. You will also be required to provide your receipt.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

How do I qualify for cash back?

Members who purchase a smart thermostat will need to participate in at least 60 percent of peak events throughout the year to receive $100 after one year. If you continue to participate in 60 percent of peak events, you will also receive $50 yearly.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

How do I sign up?

It’s easy to get started.

  1. Complete and sign the participation agreement (PDF download below) and bring it into our York headquarters or Fort Mill office to purchase the thermostat of your choice; see options below.
  2. Or apply online here
Icon

[PDF] YEC ecobee Smart Thermostat Agreement

762 KB
Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What if I already have a smart thermostat?

If you already have an ecobee, please fill out the application here. If you already have a Sensi Thermostat, please fill out the application here.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What is the Smart Thermostat program?

York Electric’s smart thermostat program gives members the opportunity to purchase an ecobee smart thermostat at a discounted rate. Members can also bring their own ecobee or Sensi Thermostat. By participating in the program, members will agree to allow the cooperative to control the thermostat during peak periods.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What is required to participate?

  1. You must be a member of York Electric;
  2. You must sign the participation agreement;
  3. You must have an internet-connected, Wi-Fi enabled home.
Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What is a smart thermostat?

A smart thermostat is a programmable thermostat that connects to your home’s WiFi and gives you the ability to adjust your thermostat setting to fit your schedule and save energy.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What types of thermostats?

York Electric members can purchase the ecobee3 lite and/or the ecobee SmartThermostat with Alexa Voice Control. Both have digital touchscreen displays and both can be controlled and scheduled using a computer or device (phone or tablet).

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What is the difference between the ecobee3 lite or ecobee SmartThermostat with Alexa Voice Control ?

The ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control has Amazon Alexa built-in. It is voice-activated and has many of the features that come with Amazon Echo devices. The ecobee also comes with an added room sensor to provide more effective cooling and heating.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

How will the cooperative control my thermostat?

About 5-6 times per month, the thermostat will be adjusted remotely based on system-wide peak periods.

The events will be 4 hours total, which includes a one-hour pre-cool/pre-heat period and three hours of peak-saving adjustment. The control will follow this pattern:

Pre-cooling/pre-heating: +/- 2 degrees
First hour: +/- 2 degrees
Second hour: +/- 3 degrees
Third hour: +/- 4 degrees

SUMMER EXAMPLE

If you normally have your thermostat set to 75, a typical control event beginning at 3 p.m. would look like this:

3:00-4:00 p.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 73
4:00-5:00 p.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 77
5:00-6:00 p.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 78
6:00-7:00 p.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 79
After 7 p.m.: Thermostat returns to 75, control relinquished

WINTER EXAMPLE

If you normally have your thermostat set to 67, a typical control event beginning at 6 a.m. would look like this:

6:00-7:00 a.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 69
7:00-8:00 a.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 65
8:00-9:00 a.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 64
9:00-10:00 a.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 63
After 10 a.m.: Thermostat returns to 67, control relinquished

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What if I don’t want the cooperative to control my thermostat?

You’ll be notified of control during peak times on the device’s display with an option to override. You can override control up to 40 percent of the time. If you were to exceed 40 percent, a member is not eligible for participation credit per year.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

Why does York Electric want to control my thermostat?

When the cooperative purchases power, energy at those peak hours is more expensive. The more we can cut down on how much energy is used during those periods, the lower our power bill will be. We will use that savings to hold down costs for our members.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ

ecobee Smart Thermostat in use

 

July 26, 2022

‘Alexa, what’s the buzz about?’

Ecobee smart thermostats offer new technology to increase member comfort, improve the efficiency of your home and lower electric bills. Depending on the model that is right for you, you can stay in control of your energy use even when you are away from home through your phone, a website or even through Alexa.

Managing the temperature in your home is the largest portion of your monthly electric bill, and York Electric is here to help keep your costs low. That’s why we have implemented the new Smart Thermostat Program, bringing a quality product to you at a discounted rate while allowing you to control energy savings when you are away.

Speaking of savings, signing up and purchasing an ecobee will also help your co-op keep power costs low for all members. When we predict peak events or when most people are consuming a lot of energy at the same time, YEC can work to precool or prewarm your house to offset the demand for electricity. You will receive a notification on the device of your choice and have the option to opt-out if it isn’t the best time for you. To say thank you for doing your part, participating members can receive a $100 bill credit after their first year.

We are excited about offering this new technology at a discounted rate to our members and look forward to seeing what we can do together to help hold down the cost of electricity. We’re locals looking out for you, and with the help of technology, we’re always tracking the latest buzz on energy trends.

Brent Clinton, YEC Energy Services Representative

 

Brent Clinton
Energy Services Representative

 

c Expand All C Collapse All

Smart Thermostat FAQ

a

Who can participate?

Any YEC residential members who have a reliable WiFi internet connection in their home.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What is the cost of an ecobee thermostat?

An ecobee3 lite will be discounted to $85 for YEC members, and an ecobee SmartThermostat with Alexa Voice Control will be discounted to $145 for YEC members.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

Who will install my thermostat?

Whomever you choose. After the thermostat is installed and we verify the signal, YEC will reimburse you $75 towards your installation cost. You will also be required to provide your receipt.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

How do I qualify for cash back?

Members who purchase a smart thermostat will need to participate in at least 60 percent of peak events throughout the year to receive $100 after one year. If you continue to participate in 60 percent of peak events, you will also receive $50 yearly.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

How do I sign up?

It’s easy to get started.

  1. Complete and sign the participation agreement (PDF download below) and bring it into our York headquarters or Fort Mill office to purchase the thermostat of your choice; see options below.
  2. Or apply online here
Icon

[PDF] YEC ecobee Smart Thermostat Agreement

762 KB
Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What if I already have a smart thermostat?

If you already have an ecobee, please fill out the application here. If you already have a Sensi Thermostat, please fill out the application here.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What is the Smart Thermostat program?

York Electric’s smart thermostat program gives members the opportunity to purchase an ecobee smart thermostat at a discounted rate. Members can also bring their own ecobee or Sensi Thermostat. By participating in the program, members will agree to allow the cooperative to control the thermostat during peak periods.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What is required to participate?

  1. You must be a member of York Electric;
  2. You must sign the participation agreement;
  3. You must have an internet-connected, Wi-Fi enabled home.
Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What is a smart thermostat?

A smart thermostat is a programmable thermostat that connects to your home’s WiFi and gives you the ability to adjust your thermostat setting to fit your schedule and save energy.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What types of thermostats?

York Electric members can purchase the ecobee3 lite and/or the ecobee SmartThermostat with Alexa Voice Control. Both have digital touchscreen displays and both can be controlled and scheduled using a computer or device (phone or tablet).

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What is the difference between the ecobee3 lite or ecobee SmartThermostat with Alexa Voice Control ?

The ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control has Amazon Alexa built-in. It is voice-activated and has many of the features that come with Amazon Echo devices. The ecobee also comes with an added room sensor to provide more effective cooling and heating.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

How will the cooperative control my thermostat?

About 5-6 times per month, the thermostat will be adjusted remotely based on system-wide peak periods.

The events will be 4 hours total, which includes a one-hour pre-cool/pre-heat period and three hours of peak-saving adjustment. The control will follow this pattern:

Pre-cooling/pre-heating: +/- 2 degrees
First hour: +/- 2 degrees
Second hour: +/- 3 degrees
Third hour: +/- 4 degrees

SUMMER EXAMPLE

If you normally have your thermostat set to 75, a typical control event beginning at 3 p.m. would look like this:

3:00-4:00 p.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 73
4:00-5:00 p.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 77
5:00-6:00 p.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 78
6:00-7:00 p.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 79
After 7 p.m.: Thermostat returns to 75, control relinquished

WINTER EXAMPLE

If you normally have your thermostat set to 67, a typical control event beginning at 6 a.m. would look like this:

6:00-7:00 a.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 69
7:00-8:00 a.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 65
8:00-9:00 a.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 64
9:00-10:00 a.m.: Thermostat adjusted to 63
After 10 a.m.: Thermostat returns to 67, control relinquished

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

What if I don’t want the cooperative to control my thermostat?

You’ll be notified of control during peak times on the device’s display with an option to override. You can override control up to 40 percent of the time. If you were to exceed 40 percent, a member is not eligible for participation credit per year.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ
a

Why does York Electric want to control my thermostat?

When the cooperative purchases power, energy at those peak hours is more expensive. The more we can cut down on how much energy is used during those periods, the lower our power bill will be. We will use that savings to hold down costs for our members.

Category: Smart Thermostat FAQ

ecobee Smart Thermostats

October 10, 2018

You could WIN one of two $250 Visa Gift Cards

 

Help REDUCE power costs for all members and delay the need for new power plants by shifting the time you use electricity through Beat The Peak!

Here’s how:

  • SIGN UP at BeatThePeak.com.
  • Receive alerts.
  • Voluntarily shift your energy use during peak periods.

Beat the Peak Program

Sign up by November 30, 2018 to be entered to win! Winners will be selected by December 10 and notified by email.

SIGN UP today and learn more at BeatThePeak.com.

* For contest rules visit EnergySmartSC.org/250contest

Sign up for Beat the Peak notifications at BeatThePeak.com. If you’re already supporting the program, be sure to like our Beat the Peak posts on Facebook!

April 27, 2018

New website helps members save energy and money

Beat the Peak ProgramMore than 7,250 members of electric cooperatives around South Carolina, including more than 550 members of York Electric Cooperative, are already helping their fellow cooperative members to reduce energy use and costs through our Beat the Peak program.

In April, the cooperatives introduced a new website to encourage more members to join in this truly cooperative effort. By joining the Beat the Peak program, you are teaming up with the co-op to save on power costs for everyone. If you’d like to join us, sign up at BeatThePeak.com.

By lowering total energy use when it is most expensive, the co-op can lower total power costs. Because electric cooperatives are not-for-profit companies, the savings can be passed on to all the co-op’s members. As BeatThePeak.com also details, here are some powerful reasons to support the effort.

First, what is Beat the Peak?

Beat the Peak is a co-op member notification system that:

  • Teaches you how electricity use varies during the day and across the seasons of the year.
  • Helps you understand that you can help reduce electricity use at specific times of the day across the whole electric system.
  • Relates your choices about electricity use to the broader effort to control costs.
  • Allows you to voluntarily sign up to receive notices of peak demand periods.
  • Sends you notifications (via text, email and/or voice messages) at times when you can help reduce electricity use.
Quasha Dunham
Quasha Dunham helped promote our Beat the Peak campaign, encouraging our members to reduce energy usage during peak times to help keep electric costs low. Sign up today at BeatThePeak.com!

Electricity prices vary hourly?

Even though your electric rate is flat, the cost of the power we buy on your behalf does vary from hour to hour. Higher demand for electricity causes utilities to use more expensive fuels. Utilities use their most efficient and least costly generators first. Then, as electricity demand increases, utilities turn on generators that are less efficient or that use more expensive fuels. That’s why higher electricity use can mean higher costs for your cooperative. The demand for electricity is greatest between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. in winter months. In the summer, peak electricity demand occurs between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

How does it work?

Your cooperative and its power suppliers continually monitor the demand for energy. Using weather forecasts and historical energy use data, they predict when peak demand for electricity will occur.

In advance of that time, you can be notified by:

  • Email
  • Text message
  • Voice message

During a Beat the Peak peak period, you will receive a notification asking you to take certain actions. Those actions could include:

  • Adjusting your thermostat by 3 degrees.
  • Turning off lights.
  • Delaying the use of major appliances, such as dishwashers, washing machines and clothes dryers, until after the predicted peak demand period has passed.
  • Postponing hot water use, which will delay the activation of electric water heaters.

Sign up for Beat the Peak notifications at BeatThePeak.com. If you’re already supporting the program, be sure to like our Beat the Peak posts on Facebook!

September 5, 2017

Think twice before comparing your electric bill

Paul Basha, President & CEO
Paul Basha, President & CEO

You’ve heard the saying, “that’s like comparing apples to oranges.” Granted, both fruits make great snack choices, but that’s where the comparisons stop. YEC wants to help you have a manageable electric bill monthly. With summer weather now here, you can expect a higher bill due to the extreme temperature difference between the inside of your home and the outside weather. The greater the difference, the more energy is needed to maintain comfort.

YEC recently introduced our members to “Beat the Peak.” This free and voluntary effort gives you the opportunity to reduce your energy use during the time of the day when power use peaks, such as summer afternoons when temperatures are at their highest. If you haven’t signed up yet, we encourage you to visit EnergySmartSC.org. Also, this month, we are announcing the launch of the “Home Energy Adventure” from Touchstone Energy, which will help you learn how to improve energy efficiency in your home and, ultimately, save money.

While I’m on the subject of saving energy and money, did you know YEC’s residential electric rates, on average, have not increased during the past four years and, in 2016, rates slightly decreased? We also continue to be the fastest growing co-op in the state and have some of the lowest rates.

Now, let’s talk about your monthly electric bill. You may be tempted to compare yours to the bill of your friends and neighbors. However, comparing bills seldom reveals a satisfactory explanation, because it’s like comparing apples to oranges. While there may be some similarities, there are far more differences that affect the electric bill.

There are many variables to take into consideration. Such as, how many people reside in your home? Of these residents, how many are children, teenagers and adults? Do the occupants bathe in a tub or do they shower; how often and for how long? How much hot water is consumed daily? How often do you wash and dry your clothes?

Your idea of “comfort” is another major contributor to your home’s electric bill. For example, do you set your air conditioner to 78 or 68 degrees? How many televisions do you own, and how often are they used? Do you have an extra refrigerator or freezer? Do you run a well pump? Consider everything you own that plugs into a socket and how often it is used. It adds up quickly.

As you can see, there are dozens of considerations and questions to be asked, when it comes to energy consumption, and it isn’t feasible to compare your electric bill. The reality is no two homes are alike, and no two families use electricity the same way.

For more energy-saving tips, visit the Energy Savings section on our website or give us a call. We’re here to help, and we’re always looking out for you!

Paul Basha

Paul Basha
President and Chief Executive Officer

Related Topics:
Energy Savings 
Home Energy Adventure
Beat the Peak
EnergySmartSC.org

June 27, 2017

Home Energy Adventure

Home Energy Adventure: Visit EnergyAdventure.coop

Summer brings hot weather and, unfortunately, that means electricity costs can increase. We know that saving energy means saving money and having an energy-efficient home does just that. That’s why we are pleased to announce the launch of the “Home Energy Adventure” from Touchstone Energy. Through interactive quizzes, members can test their energy-efficiency skills and learn how to improve their home’s energy efficiency and, ultimately, save money. After each question, members will receive energy-saving tips that are customized specifically to their lifestyle and energy habits.

You can start your adventure today by visiting EnergyAdventure.coop. Members can also access the game along with other useful energy-savings advice from the TogetherWeSave.coop site as well as in the Energy Savings section of our website.

Visit www.EnergyAdventure.coop

101 ways to save energy and money

Brent Clinton, YEC's energy expert
YEC’s energy expert, Brent Clinton. Photo: Porter Gable

“We’ve also compiled a list of 101 low-cost/ no-cost energy-saving measures to help our members better manage their home’s energy costs,” says YEC’s energy expert, Brent Clinton. The free brochure can be downloaded below. We also have copies available for you at our offices.

Icon

[PDF] 101 Easy Ways To Save Energy And Money

1.20 MB 456 downloads
Icon

[PDF] 101 Maneras Fáciles de Ahorrar Energía y Dinero

1.20 MB 60 downloads

 

Related Links:

Energy Savings 

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