When we experience extreme weather in the Midwest, our furnaces and other heating equipment work harder to keep our homes comfortable. And when everyone heats their homes at the same time, your utility company needs to increase energy production to meet peak demand.
Utility companies, including Alliant Energy, meet peak energy demands in a variety of ways. With coal and natural gas peaking plants, we can ramp production up or down on short notice. Unfortunately, that’s a costly option that produces more carbon emissions. We can also use wind and solar sources, but those produce energy on a fairly consistent, predictable schedule that doesn’t always align with peak demand.
If we anticipate extreme cold, our Alliant Energy® Smart Hours program allows us to adjust residential smart thermostats to shift energy use away from peak demand times. When you enroll in Smart Hours, we can heat your home before demand spikes, then make minor adjustments to keep you comfortable for the duration of the event. We’ll notify you up to 24 hours in advance, and you can override the program up to two times per season to receive the seasonal incentive.
By decreasing peak demand, we reduce our reliance on coal and natural gas and deliver more clean, reliable, cost-effective energy.
This keeps energy cleaner and more affordable for everyone. Plus, when you enroll, we give you a sign-up bonus and incentives for each summer and winter season you participate.
Smart Hours isn’t the only way to limit energy consumption during peak demand, or anytime. Check out our list of 10 things to start doing today for some additional ideas. With a few simple steps, we can all help advance the transition to cleaner energy. For more about what we’re doing, check out our Clean Energy Blueprint.