Register to understand the Green Municipal Aggregation report at a webinar - Dec 7 or Dec 14

The team at Energize Franklin would like to make you aware of a free, online webinar offered by The Green Energy Consumer's Alliance on December 7 from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM. 

As you may be aware, Franklin residents already enjoy the cost-saving benefits of Green Municipal Aggregation, while purchasing electricity which is generated from 100% renewable sources.

When: Thursday, December 7, 2023, 7:30 PM

Join the Green Energy Consumer's Alliance for a review of their fourth annual Green Municipal Aggregation report. They'll review the data from winter 2022/2023, where customers receiving electricity from municipal aggregations saved money compared to those receiving electricity from National Grid, Eversource, Unitil, or Rhode Island Energy.

This webinar is also being offered December 14, 2023 at noon.

 

Register for this free webinar at https://www.greenenergyconsumers.org/event/greenmunicipalaggregationandcommunity

You can find the report online -> https://260434.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/260434/GMA%20Report%202023%20-%20Final.pdf

Register to understand the Green Municipal Aggregation report at a webinar - Dec 7 or Dec 14

Energize Franklin: Save Money and Energy by Improving or Replacing Inefficient Drafty Windows

According to the US Department of Energy, heat gain and heat loss through windows are responsible for 25%–30% of residential heating and cooling energy use. Energy efficient windows are an important consideration for both new and existing homes; in addition to saving money on heating and cooling costs, they can also add to the resale value of your home.

Are my windows working to keep my home warm?

You can quickly determine if your windows are sealing properly on a cold, windy day. If your windows are closed, but you can still feel cold drafts with hands near the window edges, you should probably take action to seal the suspect windows; there are several low-cost sealing options available at most local and big-box hardware stores.

New Windows versus Window Replacement

New windows typically cost around $1000 or more per window, since a trained carpenter is replacing the window frame. Costs can be reduced if the existing window frame is left in place and a smaller window frame and window is installed inside the existing frame. Companies that advertise “replacement in a day” are likely selling “window replacements” and not new windows. Typically, glass area decreases and they can be less aesthetically pleasing.

The following testimonial was written by David Rittenhouse in March, 2023, and can be found on the EnergizeFranklin.org website:

“I used Arthur Home Improvement in 2007 to replace 21 windows, 2 sliding doors, remove siding, add ½ inch insulation and add vinyl siding. The Harvey vinyl windows and siding have required virtually no maintenance. I couldn't be happier with the way the project went, and how they have held up during the 16 years since. The house is definitely easier to heat and cool with the new windows and the insulation under the siding.”

For more information on this and other energy-saving ideas, please visit EnergizeFranklin.org !

Energize Franklin: Save Money and Energy by Improving or Replacing Inefficient Drafty Windows

Save money by finding home energy waste! Get a "Kill A Watt Monitor" from the Franklin Library "Library of Things" collection

Do you know where the energy hogs in your home are? 

Did you know that the Franklin Public Library, in addition to lending books and media, also lends “things”? 

Their library of things includes items such as games, electronic devices, kitchen appliances, a telescope, and more; it also includes an electrical power monitor named “Kill A Watt”. The Kill A Watt power monitor is a small, portable device which can plug into a power outlet, and then monitors the electric power usage of anything which is plugged into it. 

The following testimonial was written by David Rittenhouse in October 2023, and can be found on the EnergizeFranklin.org Testimonials page :

“I use a dehumidifier in my basement. Because it uses a compressor, it uses significant electricity while running. I found this out by borrowing a Kill A Watt Monitor from the Franklin Public Library "Library of Things" collection. 

There are two major ways to use it: 1) Press the "Watt" button to find out real-time usage (in this case about 500 watts) when the unit is on; 2) use the KWH or killawatt hour button to see how much energy is used over time. The library lets you borrow this device for 3 weeks. 

I ran my humidifier for 2 weeks and doubled the KWH to get a rough energy usage per month. I bought a new dehumidifier and will be saving electricity and using it year-round, now that it rarely needs to come on during the heating season to keep humidity at a healthy level below 60%. (Please note that the Franklin Library only has a partial list of things on their website, and at the time of writing did not include the TOOLS KILL A WATT MONITOR.) 

My old dehumidifier was 20+ years old. My next project will be to see how much electricity my 20+ year old refrigerator uses.”

For more information on this and other energy-saving ideas, please visit EnergizeFranklin.org !

borrowing a Kill A Watt Monitor from the Franklin Public Library "Library of Things" collection

Consider a Heat Pump Hot Water Heater to Save Money and the Environment!

Did you know that it costs more to create heat than to move heat from one place to another?

That is the basic principle that allows heat pump technology to heat our homes, offices, and hot water more efficiently, with less impact on our environment. A heat pump hot water heater moves heat from the air around it, and concentrates that heat on the water in the tank, producing typical 120-130F hot water from 60F air!

Heat Pump Hot Water Heater

In 2019, we considered the opportunity to replace our existing electric hot water heater with a low-carbon footprint electric heat pump hot water heater. We decided on a 50-gallon model by Rheem, which had good ratings, was comparatively quiet, and featured wifi control capability. With 50-gallon capacity, the unit is able to keep up with the hot water demands of our 3 bedroom home. 

The heat pump draws heat from the basement air, and uses that ambient heat to heat the water in the tank, using roughly 1/3 the electricity of an electric hot water heater. The air flowing out of the unit is cooler and drier, and the water heater requires an auxiliary water pump to remove the condensate water from the unit. The noise produced by the heater is similar to the noise of a running dehumidifier. The unit also has a conventional electric heating element for high-demand times when the heat pump would be unable to keep up with demand. 

There are various settings which can be used to control the unit; we use the "energy-saver" setting, which prioritizes the heat pump mode, and automatically switches to conventional heating if needed. One can also choose only heat pump, or only conventional heating element modes, for complete control over the heater energy source. The wifi control capability makes it easy to switch modes, increase or decrease water temperatures, and monitor energy usage and unit health from anywhere, using a standard smart phone. 

Although a heat pump water heater is a more expensive initial purchase, the monthly energy savings, combined with the MassSave rebate (currently $750 for this heat pump) enables an estimated payback period of 2 years versus a pure electric water heater. And by using the clean electricity provided by Dynegy to Franklin residents, we are happy knowing that our domestic hot water heating footprint is minimized! We have had the unit for 4 years as of this writing. We are very happy with this unit's performance, have had no issues at all, and have definitely saved energy during that time.

For more information on this and other energy-saving ideas, please visit EnergizeFranklin.org !

This is an updated version of the testimonial posted by Mark Minnichelli at Energize Franklin ->  https://community.massenergize.org/FranklinMA/testimonials/348

Energize Franklin let's us know of the Webinar on Heat Pumps with EnergySage Thursday, Oct 26

The team at Energize Franklin would like to make you aware of a free, online webinar offered by The Green Energy Consumer's Alliance on October 26th from noon to 1pm.

Webinar: Heat Pumps with EnergySage

Thursday, October 26th @ 12PM

Caleb Pulliam from EnergySage and Loie Hayes, Energy Efficiency Coordinator at Green Energy Consumers, will present and answer frequently asked questions about heat pumps. You'll get a tour of the EnergySage Heat Pump Marketplace.

Register for Heat Pumps Webinar

We'll cover:

• How heat pumps work
• Why they're good for the climate
• Costs, rebates, & incentives
• How to research and compare installers

Whether you're looking to lower your heating cost or your carbon footprint, heat pumps should be one of the options you consider. We're here to help you learn about this highly efficient, low-carbon way of heating.

For more information on ways you can save money and save the environment here in Franklin, please visit EnergizeFranklin.org

Energize Franklin let's us know of the Webinar on Heat Pumps with EnergySage Thursday, Oct 26

Franklin Energize Testimonial Spotlight: 2013 Ground Mount Install paid for itself in 7 years

Franklin Energize Testimonial Spotlight: 2013 Ground Mount Install paid for itself in 7 years and has yielded $13K in profits thus far…

Hot off the press! Thanks to Rand for his testimonial submitted 6-29-23. Read the full testimonial -> https://www.energizefranklin.org/testimonials/359

Franklin Energize Testimonial Spotlight: 2013 Ground Mount Install paid for itself in 7 years

Making Sense of Climate #27 - Dave helps us understand how energize Franklin works! (video)

This is a special session of the radio show sharing my conversation with Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist via the Zoom conference bridge Thursday, April 20, 2023.

We are joined by Dave Rittenhouse who helps us walk through the features of the new Energize Franklin webpage:  www.energizefranklin.org/

This discussion continues our journey understanding the MA roadmap toward net zero and while it helps me “make sense of climate”, we hope it helps with your understanding as well. 

If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session.  

Video link -> https://youtu.be/myUzRaFXpsI

Making Sense of Climate #27 - Dave helps us understand how energize Franklin works! (video)

The Energize Franklin website now active - track the Franklin (MA) community efforts to address climate change

Household-level climate action is critical to reach our climate goals. 

Join Energize Franklin to discover what actions our neighbors and friends in Franklin have taken to lower  our community’s collective climate impact! 

Then be inspired to participate and share a testimonial! Energize Franklin is a website through the MassEnergize non-profit organization.

Energize Franklin website now active -> https://community.massenergize.org/FranklinMA

The Energize Franklin website now active - track the Franklin (MA) community efforts to address climate change

Have you wondered where to start at tackling climate change? Time to Energize Franklin!

Household-level climate action is critical to reach our climate goals. Join Energize Franklin to discover what actions our neighbors and friends in Franklin have taken to lower our community’s collective climate impact! Then be inspired to participate and share a testimonial!

Energize Franklin is a website through the MassEnergize non-profit organization. https://community.massenergize.org/FranklinMA

Or follow the QR Code to get to the webpage

QR Code for Energize Franklin

Energize Franklin web page