Chart showing price of ETS off-peak electricity compared to propane and fuel oil from 2004 through the beginning of 2024Electric Thermal Storage (ETS) heat is quiet, odorless, extremely comfortable, and very affordable, based on a concept of heating that originated in Europe. Using 100% electric-generated heat sourced from Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative's 80% carbon-free power-mix, choosing ETS is a fantastic way to reduce your carbon footprint and heat your home with reliably priced electric power.

The Benefits of ETS

  • Off-peak charging

  • No oil tanks or fuel deliveries to worry about

  • No wide price fluctuations that make budgeting difficult

  • No burners to maintain or fumes to vent

  • Quieter operation - practically no sound

  • Uses existing baseboard or air ducts

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint - Choose ETS HeatHow Does ETS Work?

ETS units are available in room units, as a central furnace, and as hydronic units.

In ETS room units or furnaces, a heating medium composed of very dense ceramic bricks is combined with electric heating elements running through this medium. The elements are turned on during off-peak hours when we can charge a lower rate. The bricks heat up and then store the heat for hours inside the insulated cabinet. During peak hours, we cut off the heating elements and your ETS unit heats your home by operating a small fan that circulates air over the bricks, pushing heated air through your home. In a hydronic unit, the ETS unit's internal bricks are heated during off-peak hours and this stored heat is transferred to water using a heat exchanger, then is delivered to areas of your home as needed.

By shifting the energy use to off-peak hours, we help keep overall rates to our members low. ETS is also a greener way of heating your home, removing reliance on oil and reducing the amount of energy consumed during peak times when demand for energy is highest.

All of our ETS installations come with installation of a second electric meter onto your home. This second meter strictly measures the electricity being used by the ETS heating unit(s), separately from the meter accounting for your home's usual electricity use. This arrangement allows us to control the hours in which the ETS units can be charged, leaving the rest of your electric service undisturbed.

If you are interested in switching to ETS heat, fill out the form below!

Image showing two women talking to weach other while sitting on a couch, with speech balloons tied to them saying "Refer" and "A Friend." Caption reads: "Did you know? We offer a Refer A Friend program for ETS! If you're an ETS owner and recommend ETS to a friend, when they have their ETS unit installed you will both receive a $150 bill credit! Click for details."

Which ETS system is right for your home?

Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative offers ETS products from the Steffes Corporation exclusively to our members. Every Steffes Electric Thermal Storage unit is made in the United States of America. Financing is available on ETS products. (see "Pricing" tab below)

But which ETS unit is best for your home's heating needs? If you have a centrally ducted heating system, a central furnace is the proper solution. If your home makes use of a baseboard hot water system, a hydronic furnace would be best for your needs. If you have baseboard electric or simply want room-by-room control, the individual room units are the best fit for you

If you are interested in becoming an ETS user or would like more information, fill out the accompanying interest form or consult the other tabs for details on off-peak hours, pricing, and installation. You can also give us a call today at 973-875-5101 or email us at info@sussexrec.com if you have questions about ETS.

More Information

ETS is a unique form of home heating that generates and stores electric heat during off-peak hours to be released into your home throughout the day as needed. During off-peak times, consumer demand for electricity and our costs to purchase electricity are at their lowest. As a result, we can pass these savings directly to our members.

"ETS control hours" are the peak times during which an ETS unit will not charge. These hours vary by season. Heat generated and stored during off-peak hours is more than enough to meet your home's heating needs during control periods.

Our approximate ETS control hours are as follows:

September 15 – May 15
7:00 – 11:00 AM, Monday - Friday
5:00 – 10:00 PM, Monday - Thursday

May 16 – September 14
Noon – 7:00 PM, Monday - Friday

Please note: Times are not limited to these hours only. Periods can be extended or shortened, depending on peak loads and weather conditions.

A weekend control period is extremely rare and typically does not happen.

ETS furnaces and room units store electric heat generated during off-peak times, when consumer demand for electricity and our costs to purchase electricity are at their lowest. As a result, we can pass these savings directly to our members. Our current rate for off-peak ETS power is $.0718891 per kWh compared to our regular rate of $.1335353 per kWh.

Financing is available for ETS products offered through Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative. To be eligible for financing, members must agree to automatic bill payments.

For $2,000 down, Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative can install an ETS system in qualifying members' homes and spread the cost over 60 monthly payments, INTEREST FREE!

A basic system will cost you approximately $225 per month, plus the cost of electricity used to run the system. This may sound like it will increase the cost to heat your home. However, our analysis shows that you will save money every year from the onset.(Note: the market price of oil and propane dictate the savings you can expect in the first 60 months.)