COLUMBIA, S.C. — Energy bills typically spike in the summer in South Carolina as people try and beat our famous heat. The hot temperatures plus more people working from home makes those energy bills even higher this summer.
However, this trend is not just something that is occurring this summer. Our temperatures have been warming for some time due to climate change. This will result in increased energy use as people try and stay cool.
A new report from Climate Central shows how the yearly number of cooling degree days in Columbia has steadily increased since 1970.
A cooling degree day is a measure of human comfort in regards to the temperature. It is a sum of the number of degrees over 65º a day gets. So an 85º day would have 20 cooling degree days.
An increase in cooling degree days can also lead to increased health problems, especially for minority and low-income communities, who disproportionately lack access to air conditioning.
One way to stay cool, while also being more conscious of your environmental impact, is to purchase more efficient, Energy Star equipment. You can even find rebates and get money back for these purchases from energy companies like Dominion Energy.
Ginger Greenway of Dominion Energy tells News 19, "The primary reason for those rebates is to encourage customers to take that next level, to get a little more energy efficient than just the standard."
If you do decide to get a new unit, make sure to properly dispose of the old unit so that harmful chemicals do not leak.
If you cannot afford a new appliance at this time, there are still ways for you to be more energy efficient and save some money.
Dominion Energy also offers South Carolina customers virtual home energy check ups. In this virtual visit, a representative will go through your house or apartment with you to see what can be improved. Greenway says that these visits will focus on "low cost and no cost things that are going to make the biggest difference".
Greenway says they have seen an increased number of people doing these virtual home energy check ups during the Coronavirus pandemic as more people stay home.
Looking to be more energy efficient at home will be important, as temperatures are likely going to continue to warm across the world. The Energy Information Administration predicts that air conditioning consumption will rise by 59% in US homes by 2050.
