Where Did Your Energy Go in 2013?

DALLAS, Dec 23, 2013 -- BUSINESS WIRE

A look back on 2013 will reveal an obvious truth: Texas is hot. The less obvious result of that truth is that Texans' air conditioning consumption was three times higher than the national average.

Residential heating and cooling consumption has declined nationally over the last few decades, but last summer's triple-digit temperatures in the Lone Star State drove the thriftiest to turn down the air conditioning to a degree that would still make most other Americans break a sweat. Compared with other areas of the country, the warmer weather in Texas meant that air conditioning accounted for a greater portion of home energy use - 18 percent, versus the 6 percent national average.

"Everything is bigger in Texas, and that applies not only to our consumption, but also our opportunities for conservation, as well," said Jennifer Pulliam, director of innovation for TXU Energy. "We might be wishing for some of that summertime heat during this wild winter, but Texans should realize that it's both our air conditioning and heating that's driven us to the top of the list of major consumption."

The national energy usage for heating and conditioning may have declined overall, but consumption for appliances and electronics continues to rise. Based on the most recent U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) survey, 60 percent of Texans' consumption last year was for appliances like refrigerators and washing machines, electronics, water heating and lighting (compared to 52 percent in an average American home; the national average in 1993 was 42 percent).

Many appliances have become more energy efficient, but according to the EIA, the increased number of devices that consume energy in homes has offset the efficiency gains.

"There's a revolutionary shift in how energy is being consumed in the home and tremendous potential to leverage that for the benefit of the power grid and the consumer's wallet," said Pulliam. "We're extremely pleased to see that consumers are being more thoughtful about their usage by adopting more efficient equipment, better insulating their homes, and employing tools like our TXU Energy MyEnergy Dashboard that, with a few clicks, gives an easy and comprehensive breakdown of where they're using energy. Our goal is to keep the trend toward energy efficiency strong so that our customers can keep their savings high and their bills lower in 2014 and beyond."

About TXU Energy

TXU Energy is a market-leading competitive retail electricity provider, powering the lives of more Texans than any other retailer. TXU Energy offers a variety of innovative products and solutions, allowing both its residential and business customers to choose options that best meet their needs, including exceptional customer service, competitively priced electricity service plans, innovative energy efficiency options, renewable energy programs and other electricity-related products and services. Visit txu.com for more information about TXU Energy. REP #10004

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SOURCE: TXU Energy

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