Solar Cooking Drops Energy Bill $760 a Year!

Well, it's that time of year, for me, again, and I'm delighted with the difference solar cooking has made in my electric bill. As you can see, I'm on a budget cycle that has been $199 a month and it's now down to $135+ a month. The high blocks in the summer are from using my pool (wow, that takes a lot of energy!)

In North Carolina, we have 272 available days for solar cooking. Does that mean I cook every day? Absolutely not; but, whenever I'm in the mood and there's available sun, I do, and that has resulted in this reduction. And, during this past year, Progress Energy swapped out my meter three times because they said it wasn't registering enough usage based on some average they use for homeowners.


Now, for some people, a savings of almost $800 a year may not mean anything. For others, any way they can cut spending means more money available for other basics in their lives. A solar oven is paid for at the time of purchase, and cooking is FREE from that day forward.

I don't know how the energy companies work in other parts of the country, but in NC, the on-peak KW charges are increased from June 1st through September 30th enough to make a significant difference in your fuel bill. Electric energy used is 1.7 times BTU (propane) usage, according to a Progress Energy official, who has worked in both fields. Solar panels, turbines, etc., are all beneficial but they're expensive and you really won't see a return for years, if not decades. With solar cooking, the effect is immediate and you will see it in your fuel bills within a few months. This should not be kept a secret from the mainstream.  What do you think?