Hawaiian Electric just came out with a new energy conservation guide for Hawai'i homes that combines a variety of tips with a detailed explanation of a typical electric bill and how to reduce it.

Spokesman Darren Pai said the latest booklet is more than just another brochure from the electric company because it provides a lot of specific information that conservation-conscious consumers say they want.

"We tried to design this as an all-in-one guide," Pai said, though it does include the 101 Ways to Save guide that came our earlier this year.

He said there's been an increase in customer demand for this kind of information as people get motivated to save money and energy. "We've just seen overall that people are much more aware of trying to conserve on everything," Pai said. "It's clear that people are seeing that this is more than something we do when times are tough."

According to the guide, the average Hawai'i family of four uses about 600 kilowatts per month. (It also includes some Electricity 101 definitions including: A watt is the standard unit of measure for electricity. For example, a conventional water heater uses 4,000 watts. A kilowatt is 1,000 watts. Since we use large amounts of electricity at one time, it is often easier to describe electricity use in kilowatts.)

But the booklet provides more than just the "replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents" advice we've all heard before. It provides some examples we might not have considered.

Take the second refrigerator in the garage or carport. Utility experts say that second unit could be using a lot more power than the bigger, newer one you've got in the kitchen.

That's because the older one in the garage is likely to be less energy-efficient.

Efficiency standards that went into effect in 2001 mean that older units cost two to three times more to run, so you can save hundreds of dollars a year by replacing some older models.

And if it sits in a hot garage all day with little ventilation, it has to work harder to keep cool.

Electronics can end up as sneaky users of electricity because we tend to leave cell phone chargers, TVs and computers plugged in all the time. Plugging them into power strips makes it easier to shut them off when you aren't using them and save energy.

"Many of these things are in a stand-by mode," Pai said. "When you turn it off, it's not really off; it's still using a lot of electricity."

And if you're thinking that your electric bill has been on the decline since the hot days of summer are behind us, you may be surprised to learn that the peak month for Hawai'i residents is in October "when it's hot and humid."

Pai said heat alone doesn't usually trigger the highest use of air conditioners. "When you feel hot and sticky, that's when everybody gets uncomfortable," he said.

For Pai, the energy tips give everyone more tools to conserve. "It's going to take all of us taking all of these steps together to really make a difference," he said.

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2429.