Cut Your Electric Bill in HALF! Really! Really?

Lean times understandably motivate people to explore money-saving options. At what cost, however, might that pursuit of savings come?

Customers wanting to lower their electric bills most likely already know the sage advice about insulating their homes, investing in Energy Star appliances, and unplugging devices they are not using. But isn’t there a quicker, easier way? What about investing in one of those “magic boxes or cylinders” that promises to slice home electricity costs by up to 50%? Here’s a heads up. If a product sounds too good to be true on the energy-savings front, it probably is.

Numerous products fall into the deceptive and ineffective category. One to achieve significant notoriety is the Xpower Energy Saver. Forum Trading Inc. was collaborating with several other companies to sell a $200 cylinder they claimed consumers could plug into the wall to trim electricity consumption by 25%, and extend the life of household appliances.

Engineers at the University of Texas at Austin concluded that the Xpower could produce no more than a 0.06% reduction in electric use in an average house. Laboratory tests revealed that the product is an ordinary capacitor. Capacitors are usually employed in electronic circuits to store energy or differentiate between high- and low-frequency signals.

Saving energy is not as simple as plugging a device into an outlet or a meter. Utilities invest millions of dollars every year into researching the latest energy efficient and renewable energy options on the market. Dawson Public Power District offers energy audits, weatherization tips, rebates and other assistance to customers seeking answers about energy efficiency.

In today’s economic climate, marketers have found a niche offering a range of products that they promise will deliver quick and easy energy savings. The soundest advice to follow in this climate is: BUYER BEWARE. Instead of wasting money on schemes that fall short, Dawson PPD customers looking for answers are encouraged to call us so we can help you find ways to cut your energy usage.


Source: Cooperative Research Network; Elizabeth McGowan, Energetics Inc.