Everyone’s energy consumption has a connection in various aspects of modern life. But as the temperature continues to increase because of climate change, the demand for energy will also rise along with it.
People use electricity in their daily lives. They use it for cooking, heating, and even transportation. But with the recent changes brought by climate change, drastic changes with energy consumption is happening. Even more, there are also changes happening on the ability to produce and deliver electricity.
The effects on energy consumption
Most people in warmer climates tend to use more electricity because of the heat. The United States Environmental Protection Agency says that if the country’s temperature reaches 1.8-degree Fahrenheit, the energy used for cooling tends to increase by at least 5 to 20%. Meanwhile, the power used to heat an area can decrease by at least 15%. Overall, the yearly heating and cooling cost has the potential to increase by 10% once the end of the century comes to a close. When global warming continues to increase, it’s likely that the demand for energy will rise as well.
Experts say that heating demand would decrease in the northern part of the country. Meanwhile, the cooling demand would increase in the southern part of the United States. Since experts expect the demand for electricity to increase in both regions, the balance of energy delivery will shift from natural gas and fuel oil. It could potentially affect greenhouse gas emissions. This could aggravate the problems that people have with climate change.
Tapping into renewable sources of energy
There are several factors that you can consider to save on energy consumption. One way of doing it is by investing in various forms of renewable sources of energy. Using natural sources of energy can effectively reduce your utility expenses. Even more, it can provide you with tax incentives every month.
One of the most common types of renewable power is solar energy. Solar panels often go directly to your roof. But there are times when you can easily install them in your yard. Depending on the latitude of your property and the orientation of the solar panels, you can quickly produce more than 10 watts per square foot. That’s why more people are being interested in hiring a SunPower solar panel installer for their home.
Another source of energy that you can tap into is the wind turbines. These are perfect on floating offshore or wind farms since they can easily power up your home without a hitch. But one thing that’s noticeable about a wind turbine is that it can take up space. Also, depending on your location, experts say that there are zoning regulations and local laws that may prohibit you from building one.
The rising temperature caused by global warming is inevitable. But there are ways to help slow down the process and might even get rid of it for good. As a homeowner, you have the power to control how you use electricity. So, try your best to conserve as much energy as you can. Doing so will prevent power plants from burning more coals that emit harmful gases into the atmosphere.