With over a quarter of a million customers and counting, OUC serves one of the largest-growing metropolitan areas in the country. Meeting rising demand with reliable, affordable energy and preparing Central Florida for a sustainable future is a collective effort that starts with a focus on efficiency.
As Florida’s population grows, so does the strain on the electric grid during “peak hours”: the time of day when most households simultaneously use large amounts of electricity. In summer, demand is highest at the end of the workday when households are running appliances such as the AC, laundry, cooking, dishwasher, TV, video games, charging an electric vehicle (EV) and so on, while businesses are still operating.
More efficient communities use less energy and make peak demand more manageable – which, in turn, allows utilities to maintain fewer generation facilities, reduce their carbon footprint, and maintain low costs. As OUC continues to diversify its power portfolio with renewables, managing supply and demand is more important than ever.
So, what does an energy-efficient grid look like? In homes and businesses, it can start small with practical improvements: replacing old appliances with energy-efficient models, using smart thermostats to lower AC costs, adding home insulation, and even shifting electric usage away from high peak times of day. Advanced usage tracking via digital meters can also provide customers with better insight into, and control over, the ways they use electricity.
On a wider scale, EVs – including cars, e-buses, electric cargo trucks and more – are leading the charge toward sustainability across Central Florida. EVs have a much smaller carbon footprint than gas-powered vehicles, and as the grid evolves, they can also be powered by renewable energy sources like solar.
OUC is already in the process of transforming Florida’s grid. We’re also upgrading our infrastructure to better detect and alert customers to leaks and high usage, while pioneering new technologies that will keep Central Florida on the cutting edge of alternative energy, from floating solar to high-speed EV charging hubs.
By investing in a more efficient grid today, we can be ready for the years ahead. Find out more about how you can be a part of that change at ouc.com/save-energy-water-money.
