PSEG Long Island commends its customers for their commitment to saving energy and the environment, which last year earned customers an estimated $45 million in energy efficiency rebates. Along with the rebates, the residential and business customers who took advantage of PSEG Long Island’s energy efficiency rebate programs will save an estimated $65 million annually on their future electric bills for making the energy-saving renovations.
National Cut Your Energy Costs Day, celebrated each year on Jan. 10, encourages people to find ways to reduce the amount of energy they use. On Long Island and in the Rockaways people have been doing just that, saving an estimated $425 million in rebates alone over the past nine years since PSEG Long Island was established.
“PSEG Long Island supports National Cut Your Energy Costs Day because providing customers with money-saving options to save energy is the right thing to do,” said Michael Voltz, PSEG Long Island’s director of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “When customers cut their electricity usage, it puts less strain on the grid, reduces their carbon footprint and results in more money in customers’ pockets – and that’s a win all around.”
For customers who have made a New Year’s resolution to save money, energy and/or the environment in 2023, these tips and PSEG Long Island programs can help:
Heating and cooling:
- Install a high efficiency air source heat pump (ASHP) to lower energy usage, save money and provide greater comfort in cold and hot months. Robust rebates are available from PSEG Long Island’s Home Comfort Program for ducted ASHP units, ducted geothermal heat pumps and ductless mini split systems. Additionally, PSEG Long Island’s Home Comfort Plus program offers enhanced rebates for customers who meet certain income qualifications.
- Use a programmable thermostat to manage your home’s heating and cooling needs automatically. ENERGY STAR estimates that properly used programmable thermostats can save users more than $180 a year. In addition, PSEG Long Island offers rebates on smart thermostats.
- According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), turning back the thermostat by 7-10 degrees can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling costs.
- Ceiling fans can be used to save energy in winter too. Setting a fan to rotate clockwise on low pulls cool air toward the ceiling, pushing warm air down into a room.
- Seal windows and doorframes with weather stripping or caulk, and remove or cover window air conditioners to help to prevent drafts that waste energy and money.
Lighting and devices:
- Replace inefficient incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs since, according to the DOE, lighting accounts for about 15% of electricity used in the home, and LEDs use approximately 75 - 90% less energy and last up to 25 times longer.
- Install timers and motion detectors to automatically manage indoor and outdoor lighting and shut off lights when they are not in use.
- Electronic devices plugged into outlets use electricity even when they’re turned off. Reduce “phantom power” by using energy efficient power strips and/or unplugging these items when they are not in use.
Electric vehicles:
- Making the switch from gas to an electric vehicle (EV) can save energy, money and the environment. To see if an EV is a good option for you, click here: https://www.psegliny.com/saveenergyandmoney/greenenergy/ev/consideringanelectricvehicle
- Through its EV Make Ready program, PSEG Long Island offers incentives for commercial customers who install EV charging stations at their businesses or in public area.
Additional options:
- To review your home’s energy usage to identify where you can save money and energy, visit https://www.psegliny.com/saveenergyandmoney/tipsandtools/energyanalyzer to use the energy analyzer.
- More money-saving ideas and rebate information are available at https://www.psegliny.com/saveenergyandmoney/energystarrebates.
Join the conversation online using the hashtag: #CutYourEnergyCostsDay
Independent annual evaluations by Demand Side Analytics (DSA) have found PSEG Long Island’s energy efficiency and renewable energy programs to be cost-effective and energy-saving. DSA’s 2021 evaluation showed that PSEG Long Island Energy Efficiency Programs, including rebates, generated $1.71 in benefits to society for every $1 in costs to operate the program.