There are several ways you can shift energy use away from on-peak and mid-peak time periods.

The amount of electricity you purchase each month is the result of two basic components: the electric use of each device or appliance in your business (watts) and the length of time you use the devices (hours). You can reduce your Time of Use bill if you can shift the majority of your electrical requirements or production to off-peak hours.

Customers who save the most money on Time of Use are those who can shift On-Peak and Mid-Peak electricity use to Off-Peak hours. A handy rule of thumb is you must use no more than 20 percent of your total energy during the On-Peak period, and use at least 50 percent of your energy during the Off-Peak period to save money versus the Basic Service rate.

The appliances that use the most electricity in a typical month are electric water heaters and heating and cooling systems (depending on season). Costs to operate these appliances can account for as much as 50 percent of your energy use.

Installing programmable thermostats on your heating and cooling systems and a water heater timer on your water heater can help control when you use this energy and therefore reduce the cost of running these appliances.

Heating system
If you heat your business with electricity, your heating system can use as much as 50 percent of your total bill. Even gas and oil furnaces use electricity to operate the fans and motors. Set your programmable thermostat to preheat your business during off-peak or mid-peak periods or turn your furnace fan to "Auto" rather than "On" to save you money. Of course, a properly maintained system with clean filters and a properly insulated building will increase energy efficiency.

Air conditioning system
During the summer, central air conditioning and heat pumps are the largest energy user in your place of business. A programmable thermostat can be set to pre-cool your space and avoid or reduce on-peak usage hours. Again, always keep your filters clean and maintain the unit in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Electric water heater
Have a timer installed on the water heater. During winter peak hours set it to turn off at 6 a.m. and on again at 10 a.m. You will still have plenty of hot water for your morning needs, it just won’t reheat until 10 a.m.

Here’s how your water heater works: As hot water is drawn from the water heater (for laundry, dish washing, etc.) and more cold water comes in, the bottom thermostat senses a temperature change and directs power (electricity consumption) to the lower thermostat and lower element to warm the water. When the temperature of the tank reaches the temperature indicated on the thermostat, the power is turned off. The water heater then doesn’t use any electricity until more hot water is drawn off or considerable time has lapsed and the water temperature has dropped.

So even if you use hot water near the end of the off-peak periods, the heating of the water may occur during the more expensive on-peak periods. If you install a water heater timer, you can schedule your water heater to operate during off-peak hours.

Lighting
Wait until 10 p.m. to turn on outdoor lights. Use a timer to make this job easier.