Q–I recently received a flier from Commonwealth Edison touting its Nature First program for those homes with central air conditioning. Supposedly, the program can save you money, and with summer right around the corner, I’m interested in that.
What’s the bottom line on the program? Is it a good investment? And what are the drawbacks?
A–The utility company’s Nature First program can be a great deal if (and that’s the important word here) it fits your lifestyle.
“It’s a very positive program and I want to do it at my own home, but it’s not necessarily for everyone,” says John Katrakis, who runs an energy and environmental consulting and management firm in Barrington.
The key here is if you’re not home during the day on a weekday–especially between 2 to 6 p.m. On hot days, that’s the real crunch time for ComEd as everyone–including businesses–are running their AC units at full blast.
So if you’re not in your home and your air conditioner is usually turned down anyway with a programmable thermostat, it makes great sense to join the program.
When you sign up for Nature First, ComEd will attach a remote-control unit to the compressor on your central air conditioning system.
When electricity usage starts to skyrocket on hot days, the utility company will use that remote control to cycle the compressor on your A/C system on and off.
The compressor is the component of your air-conditioning system that eats up the most electricity. The system’s fan blower unit, meanwhile, is not affected by the remote control device and will keep working to circulate cooled air around the house.
Now here’s how you save money: You can have ComEd cycle your air-conditioning compressor for 15 minutes every half hour for a $5 per month credit or a total of $20 over the summer.
Or you can have ComEd cycle your air-conditioning compressor for one continuous three-hour period for a $10 per month credit for a total of $40 over the summer.
Plus, your electric bill should be lower than normal because you’ll use less under the program.
The utility will cycle the compressor only when the weather is hot and demand for electricity is high. On moderate days with average electricity demands, the compressor will not be cycled. And the program does not apply to weekends and holidays.
“The program is a great way to reduce the need for electricity,” said Katrakis. “It’s also a great way to lower carbon-dioxide emissions and other pollutants.”
The program does make a difference. In 1999, 47,000 households enrolled in Nature First, saving more than 657,00 kilowatt hours of peak electric energy.
That translates into reduced peak carbon-dioxide emissions of 184 tons, and reduced peak sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions by nearly 2,200 pounds.
For more information about the program, call 800-986-0070 or visit the ComEd Web site at www.ucm.com/naturefirst.
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