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Web site of the Month: REC InfoCenter
Regional Web sites have a lot to offer users outside the region, as the CEC Consumer Energy Center showed last month and the REC InfoCenter further confirms. Corn Belt Power Cooperative and its local rural electric cooperatives sponsor the REC InfoCenter to provide their members with information and tools to manage their energy consumption. Some sections, such as System Peak, Community, Employment and Videos, are relevant only to Corn Belt members or Iowa residents. However, there are many pages of resources that will help anyone looking for ways to save energy. General resources for wide audienceSafety and Education, for example, are subjects of universal concern. The links on this page are not only for consumers and teachers, but will also be valuable for utilities, contractors and other professionals. Agricultural customers will appreciate the links to information on siting grain bins to ensure proper clearance for power lines. Many stories posted on the News page have an Iowa focus, but there is plenty to interest visitors from elsewhere. Some, like "Hate Junk Mail?", include links to nationwide resources. Energy tips, the monthly Energy Myth, and stories about Energy Star appliances, energy-efficiency tax incentives, and Whole Foods local growers program are national in scope. Products and services spotlights efficient water heaters and electric heating and cooling systems. The information sticks to describing product features and does not mention incentive programs, so it applies to anyone interested in learning more about the equipment. Self-auditing tools for consumersThe centerpiece of the REC InfoCenter is the Energy-efficiency Calculators page. This roundup of online tools is an excellent place for consumers to start taking control of their energy use. Iowa cooperatives are probably aware of the calculators on UseElectricityWisely.com, since the site is sponsored by public power utilities in the state. But there are many more options available to users everywhere. The Heating and Cooling and Home Energy Calculators also include online tools from Touchstone, Energy Star and Western. The Department of Energy provides a calculator for the energy cost of faucets and showerheads and another for insulation improvements. Calculators for appliances and lights cover refrigerators, compact fluorescent lights, televisions and phantom loads. Energy efficiency for kidsThe page includes calculators to get young consumers involved in saving energy, too. Cornbelt's own Kids' Korner lets kids figure out how much energy common household appliances use and then asks them questions about what they have learned. In addition to energy-saving and safety tips, the Touchstone Energy Kids Zone features educational games and coloring books. The Renewable Energy interactive animation is brief, but entertaining enough to get children to ask more questions about renewable resources. The Energy Saver Calculator shows users how much energy they can save by simple measures such as unplugging idle electronics or turning down a water heater. The site also has resources for parents and teachers. The calculator is part of a larger site, Energy Efficiency World. Although it is designed for children, the site has resources for adults. A glossary link, located at the bottom of the Parents page, provides definitions of energy terms that help consumers become more energy literate. Energy literacy is the central concept of the REC InfoCenter, and critical to the success of utility energy-efficiency programs in any state. The REC InfoCenter is a reminder that, while the energy-management challenges each utility faces are local, help can come from any part of the country, and it is just a mouse click away. |
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