As the Legislature shifts into the "energy relief" part of the special session, I am reminded of the biblical adage -- "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." If we just send every Alaskan a check, without making some connection to energy efficiency and conservation, we only help for a day.
The Palin administration intends to deal with energy conservation later, when its energy plan is done. This delay squanders the "teachable moment" that can lead Alaskans toward a more secure, sustainable energy life. Handing out checks also confuses the market signals to practice energy conservation. As noted by economist Greg Erickson, "the most troublesome aspect of these programs (referring to Gov. Palin's debit card rebate proposal) is the incentives they create for us to increase our energy use. Higher prices convey a powerful message of conservation."
So what can be done this session, by legislators who are weary and need to run for re-election?
The Alaska Conservation Alliance recommends two quick, easy and effective steps.
Fund a comprehensive energy conservation awareness campaign. Some energy conservation measures are not universally understood, such as the energy savings achieved from unplugging appliances not in use. A 2000 study by the University of California and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory indicates that eliminating this standby electricity could save households between 6 percent and 26 percent on their average electricity bill. It is estimated that phantom appliances use about 450 kilowatt hours per household annually. One option is to immediately establish an Alaska energy conservation education program within the Alaska Energy Authority or the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation.
Purchase power cost monitors for Alaska households. Studies show that when consumers can see how much energy they are using and from what sources, they are better able to reduce their energy use. These "smart meters" cost about $150 each.
They consist of two parts: a transmitter attached to the outside of a meter (no electrical expertise needed), and a receiver in the home to which it sends data wirelessly. The user programs in his cost per kilowatt hour of electricity and the device will display what the current load is, how much it costs per hour, what has been used in the last day, month and so on.
Anecdotal reports are that those who understand how their electricity is being used can typically lower their consumption by 15 percent to 25 percent. Approximately 100,000 of these devices would be enough to blanket the state.
We must not lose sight of the fact that the cheapest megawatt is a "negawatt" -- the energy you didn't have to produce in the first place. If we just give away money for energy relief, we end up in a cycle of justifying expensive megawatts.
If we wait for later to address conservation measures, we are only feeding Alaskans for a day. Let's not pass up this opportunity to start teaching Alaskans how conserving energy will provide them a more secure energy future.
Kate Troll is director of the Alaska Conservation Alliance in Anchorage, www.akvoice.org.
By KATE TROLL