Wisconsin Is One Of The Most Energy-Efficient States: Report

WISCONSIN — Wisconsin ranked No. 8 among the most energy-efficient states, the finance website WalletHub reported.

Wisconsin was No. 7 for heating and cooling homes, No. 9 for money spent on car fuel and No. 34 for transportation fuel efficiency, WalletHub reported.

Utah ranked tops in overall efficiency, No. 1 for home efficiency and No. 8 for money spent on gas. Utah was followed by New York, Massachusetts and Minnesota.

The following are some actions Wisconsinites can take to ensure higher energy efficiency in their homes.

• Weatherize homes by sealing cracks and leaks in windows and doors, insulate pipes, switch to LED lights and replace gas water heaters with electric heat pump water heaters, said Mark Jacobson, an environmental engineering professor at Stanford University.
• Save on air conditioning or heat by opening a window or turning on a fan if you work at home, Georgia Institute of Technology professor Valerie Thomas said. "And get up and move around," she added. "Take a break and maybe look around the home for energy-saving opportunities.”
• Turn the heat or air conditioning off or to a lower setting when you leave the house, Thomas said. Contrary to a myth that you shouldn't touch your thermostat, you can also turn the heat or air conditioning off or way down at night.
• Smaller houses use less energy to heat or cool and cost less to build, Thomas said. Good insulation will also make your house more comfortable, especially during extreme summers and winters and their accompanying power outages.

Extreme heat and severe storms left thousands of residents without power in southeast Wisconsin in August. More than 4,000 residents lost power in Waukesha County, and the city of New Berlin opened an emergency cooling station in its community center. Residents in Brookfield, Milwaukee and Franklin also experienced power outages that lasted for days.

We Energies blamed the hot summer for a rise in natural gas prices that will be reflected in customer bills in the winter. A natural gas shortage and higher worldwide demand also contributed to an expected price increase, the company said.

Read the full WalletHub report here.

See Also: We Energies Bills To Rise In Winter Due To Natural Gas Shortages