Water heaters represent a major energy conservation opportunity in the Northwest. Heating water can represent between 15 and 24 percent of a home’s total energy use. Yet the large majority of residential water heaters in people’s homes today are far less efficient than they could be. According to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NWPCC), for example, achievable gains in electric water heater efficiency could yield 70 average megawatts (aMW) of power savings through 2015, and up to 335 aMW through 2025.
