WEATHERIZATION ENERGY AUDITOR SINGLE FAMILY

Utility Bill Analysis

WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012

1 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012 eere.energy.gov
 Learning Objectives
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

By attending this session participants will be able to:

• Discuss the heat values for different fuel types.
• State the advantages of analyzing utility bills.
• Define the terminology and categories of information
used in a typical fuel bill.
• Demonstrate how to use utility bill analysis to determine
base load vs. seasonal usage.

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 Why Analyze Fuel Bills?
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

To measure:
• Energy consumption
• Seasonal vs. base load
use
• Potential energy savings
And drive:
• Targeted investment
strategies
Photo courtesy of Tech Journal
• Customer education
strategies
Copyright © 2007 Solair Energy, Inc. and Pure Energy
3 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012 eere.energy.gov
 Heat Values of Fuels
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

• Natural gas – 100,000 BTUs/CCF @ 1.40/CCF

• #2 Fuel Oil – 140,000 BTUs/gal. @ $3.80/gal.
• Propane – 92,500 BTUs/gal. @ $2.60/gal.
• Electricity – 3,412 BTUs/Kwh @ $0.12/Kwh
• Wood – 10-24 million BTUs/cord @ $130/cord

(Prices are approximate and subject to fluctuation and regional

differences)

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 Sample Electric Bill
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

Picture and information courtesy of PPL Electric Utilities

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 Sample Gas Bill
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

Start and End Date

Usage and Cost

Picture and information courtesy of New Hampshire Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA)
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 Household Energy Costs?
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

Percent of Total Energy Costs by End Use

in Income Eligible
Lighting 6% Households
Refrigerator 9%

30% Space Heating

Appliances 27%
(other) …. 4% Cooking

15% Water Heating

Space Cooling 9%
Chart courtesy of Energy Information Administration,
U.S. Department of Energy

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 Usage as a
Function of Fuel type
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

• About half of the electricity used by households with

electric heat is for base loads.
• Many homes heated with
fossil fuel have higher
annual electric bills than
gas or oil bills.

Photo courtesy of PG&E

8 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012 eere.energy.gov

 Consumption Analysis
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

1. Analyze Bill 2. Survey Site 3. Reconcile

the Two

#1 Photo courtesy of National Energy Deregulation Information

#2 Photo courtesy of National Home inspection Services of New England

#3 Photo courtesy of Life123 Inc.

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 Simple Bill Analysis Method
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

Analyze Bill
1. Review previous 12 months.
2. Average three lowest months.
3. Multiply by 12 to estimate
annual base load usage.

Photo courtesy of National Energy Deregulation Information

10 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012 eere.energy.gov
 Bill Analysis Examples
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

Month Bill kWh Ave. Base Load Heat? Cool? Record:

Record:
Jan •• Lowest
Lowest Reading
Reading
Feb
•• 22nd
nd Lowest
Lowest
Mar
Apr
•• 33rdrd Lowest
Lowest
May •• Average
Average Monthly
Monthly
June Base
Base Load
Load
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Total
% Base
Load Use

11 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012 eere.energy.gov

 Bill Analysis Example #1
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

Date # of Days Reading kWh

5/7/99 29 06248 1031
4/8/99 30 05217 1968
3/9/99 29 03249 3143
2/8/99 31 00106 3356
1/8/99 32 96750 3648

12/7/98 33 93102 2206

11/4/98 29 90896 1327
10/6/98 32 86569 576
9/4/98 29 88993 442
8/6/98 29 88551 874
7/8/98 30 87667 522
6/8/98 32 87155 538
5/7/98 30 86617 941

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 Bill Analysis Example #1
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

Month Bill kWh Ave. Base Load Heat? Cool?

Lowest
Jan 3,356 Reading 442
Feb 3,143 2nd Lowest 522
Mar 1,968
3rd Lowest 538
Apr 1,031
Average
May 538 Monthly 1,502/3
June 522 Base Load = 501
July 874
Aug 442
Sept 576
Oct 1,327
Nov 2,206
Dec 3,648
Total 19,631
% Base
Load Use

13 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012 eere.energy.gov

 Bill Analysis Example #1
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

Month Bill kWh Ave. Base Load Heat? Cool?

Lowest
Reading
442
Jan 3,356 501
Feb 3,143 501 2nd Lowest 522
Mar 1,968 501
3rd Lowest 538
Apr 1,031 501
Average
May 538 501 Monthly 501
June 522 501 Base Load
July 874 501
Aug 442 501
Sept 576 501
Oct 1,327 501
Nov 2,206 501
Dec 3,648 501
Total 19,631 6,008
% Base
31%
Load Use

14 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012 eere.energy.gov

 Bill Analysis Example #1
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

Month Bill kWh Ave. Base Load Heat? Cool?

Lowest
Reading
442
Jan 3,356 501 2,855
Feb 3,143 501 2,642 2nd Lowest 522
Mar 1,968 501 1,467
3rd Lowest 538
Apr 1,031 501
Average
May 538 501 Monthly 501
June 522 501 21 Base Load
July 874 501 373
Aug 442 501 -59
Sept 576 501
Oct 1,327 501
Nov 2,206 501 1,705
Dec 3,648 501 3,147
Total 19,631 6,008
% Base
31%
Load Use

15 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012 eere.energy.gov

 Summary
UTILITY BILL ANALYSIS

• Utility bill analysis is a useful metric for estimating

energy consumption and targeting retrofit strategies.
• About half of home energy use is for base load
requirements.
• Utility bill assessment helps the auditor determine
base load vs. seasonal usage and related savings
potential in each.

16 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012 eere.energy.gov