What is the Energy Drill?
An Energy Drill involves the entire school and its visitors taking actions to reduce their electricity consumption in school buildings during times of greatest need (at times of extreme temperature, on smoggy days, during times of electricity supply constraints and when electricity prices are highest).
The Energy Drill is modeled after fire drills and involves designating and training members of an Energy Team in participating schools who will be responsible for taking no-cost actions to reduce electricity use on an Energy Drill day. This type of energy conservation is called ‘demand response’. All measures taken to reduce electricity use are implemented relatively simply and without causing significant interruption to normal school activities.
The Energy Drill Program allows schools to take an active role in reducing peak period electricity use, burn fewer fossil fuels, reduce air pollution and save money.
Why does my school participate in the Energy Drill?
The Energy Drill Program is being piloted in four schools in Toronto and four schools in Milton in the 2006/2007 school year. Students in participating schools are pioneers of the Energy Drill!
Once the pilot is complete, it is hoped that all schools in Ontario will be able to run Energy Drills.
The Energy Drill Program is an important electricity demand response that gives students the opportunity to reduce electricity consumption. Reasons for reducing electricity use can be summarized in the following seven key messages:
- Electricity use burns fossil fuels.
- Fossil fuels like coal and natural gas are burned to meet demands for electricity, but fossil fuels cannot be replaced and create harmful emissions that effect air quality and our climate.
- Electricity use affects local air quality.
- Burning fossil fuels creates harmful polluting emissions that irritate our eyes, nose, throat, lungs and heart.
- Electricity use contributes to climate change.
- Emissions from fossil fuels contain greenhouse gases that change our weather patterns in ways that threaten our environment.
- When we use electricity matters.
- Choosing when to use electricity helps prevent blackouts and brownouts, as well as encouraging a well-managed electricity system.
- Electricity costs money.
- At certain times of the day electricity is more expensive to use than at other times
- Electricity is a highly valued resource that we need to manage wisely.
- We are fortunate to have electricity and must take care to use it wisely to avoid unnecessary burden on the environment and risks of blackouts
- Electricity management is everyone’s responsibility, together.
- We all use electricity so we must work together to manage it.
What happens during an Energy Drill?
Once a school is notified by e-mail of an Energy Drill, it is up to the school to implement the Energy Drill in the most appropriate way for that school. Usually student Energy Marshals walk around the school to make sure that electricity use in four main areas is reduced. The four main areas are:
Lighting: When adequate natural light is available, or when rooms are not being used, lights are turned off.
Computers: Computer monitors and computers are turned off when not in use
Electrical equipment: Staff and teachers are reminded on the morning of an Energy Drill to plan to defer the use of office machines, audio visual equipment and kitchen appliances away from times of high electricity demand.
Heating, cooling and ventilation: During an Energy Drill, thermostats and ventilation systems are slightly adjusted to use less electricity. You may notice slightly warmer temperatures in the school on spring, summer and fall afternoons, and slightly cooler temperatures in the school on winter mornings.
When do Energy Drills happen and why?
The Energy Drill Program is a demand response program, so Energy Drills happen at times of high electricity demand in Ontario. There are four triggers that reflect the real needs of Ontario’s electricity market for demand response, while also facilitating education and awareness of key messages related to the Energy Drill.
The four conditions that trigger an Energy Drill are:
Temperature: When the outdoor temperature in the Toronto area is forecasted to be 26°C or above or -5°C or below.
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On hot and cold days, more electricity is used to cool or heat indoor spaces. This means we produce more electricity by burning more fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels creates greenhouse gases that lead to climate change. Help your school use less electricity, burn less fossil fuels and create less greenhouse gases: play your part in the Energy Drill!
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Smog: When poor air quality and smog is forecasted for the Toronto area.
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Smog occurs when the air is thick with harmful air pollutants. On hot smoggy days, more electricity is used to cool indoor spaces. This means we produce more electricity by burning more fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels creates air pollutants that lower air quality, contribute to smog and cause health problems. Help your school use less electricity, burn less fossil fuels, and improve local air quality: play your part in the Energy Drill!
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Supply Constraints: When the market operator issues an appeal for consumers to use less electricity
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At certain times of the day we use more electricity than at others. During these times of peak demand, we call on all of our electricity generating sources to supply our needs. Supply is limited by the amount of electricity we can generate or import, and the amount of electricity we can deliver through the wires at any point in time. Help your school manage its demand for electricity wisely by reducing consumption at peak times: play your part in the Energy Drill!
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Price: When the market price of electricity is forecasted to reach 18 ˘ per kWh
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High electricity prices reflect high demand or constrained supply of electricity. When electricity is in very high demand, we burn more fossil fuels, risk brown outs and spend more money on electricity. Everyone contributes to the total demand for electricity. We must all work together to use less. Help your school use less electricity, lower demand, burn less fossil fuels and save money: play your part in the Energy Drill!
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