How to Save Electricity

A simple step by step procedure to cut down your electricity consumption

1. Use efficient lighting

Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents (CFLs). Compact fluorescents use four times less energy, and last eight times longer than incandescent light bulbs. For example, a typical 75W incandescent bulb will be replaced by an 18W compact fluorescent. The compact fluorescent will be more expensive to buy, but you will need to replace it eight times less often and it will use less electricity, which often makes it the biggest electricity saver in your house. 

Also, conversion to efficient lighting often leads to an increase in the use of light. To some degree, this can be a positive effect, as it can increase comfort and your well-being. But it can also lead to wasting light, such as leaving lamps on when there is no need to (e.g. when you leave the room). This is reinforced by the misconception that turning CLFs on and off is expensive. As a general rule, always turn off the lights when you leave the room or the house.

2. Buy efficient electric appliances.

 

They use two to 10 times less electricity for the same functionality, and are mostly higher quality products that last longer than the less efficient ones. In short, efficient appliances save you lots of energy and money.

3. Refrigerators: 

Buy a high efficiency refrigerator that consumes around 100 kWh/y. 

These efficient refrigerators are about 5-15 percent more expensive to buy, but will save you loads of money and energy in use. In general, they are also high quality products that will last longer, will need less repairing and make less noise.

Avoid refrigerators with a built-in frozen food compartment, if you have a separate freezer. These models are less efficient and you loose cooling space.

4. Freezers:

For most home consumers it is better to buy a two door refrigerator/freezer combination with separate compartments, than a separate refrigerator and freezer. Refrigerator/freezer combinations where the freezer is at the top or bottom of the unit are generally better than ones with side by side doors. This award-winning two door refrigerator/freezer only consumes 137kWh/year. Chest type models are more efficient than uprights.

Unlike refrigerators, with freezers size does matter. Larger freezers do need more electricity. So don't buy a freezer that is larger than you need, especially if you live close to the store. 

5. Clothes washing machines

Buy a high-efficiency model with a power consumption of less than 0.9 kWh/washing cycle. 

6. Clothes dryers

Consider drying the natural way (i.e. on a clothes line outdoors) if practical, this will save you 3-4 kWh/washing cycle.

If line drying is not an option, first make sure that your washing machine can spin at 1600 or even 1800 rpm. This will almost halve the energy needed for drying. Drying through spinning is 20 times less energy intensive than with heat.

7. Dishwashers

An efficient dishwasher consumes no more than one kWh/washing cycle, compared with 1.4 kWh for an average model.

8. Computers and IT

Buy a laptop instead of a desktop, if practical. It consumes five times less electricity.

If you buy a desktop, get an LCD screen instead of an outdated CRT. 

Enable the power management function on your computer, the screensaver does not save energy.

Check if your computer supports the more advanced Speedstep™ power management.

Switching off a computer extends its lifetime, contrary to some misconceptions. Leaving a computer running the whole year will cost you more than 1,000 kWh/y, or almost as much a the total electricity consumption of a high-efficiency household. 

Use one large power strip for your computer, broadband modem, scanner, printer, monitor, and speakers. Switch it off when equipment is not in use. This is a practical way to cut 200 kWh/y or more of standby losses (see standby). 

Minimise printing. Laser printers use more electricity than inkjet printers.

9. Cut off standby losses 

Most modern electric appliances consume electricity even when turned off. For TVs, VCRs, faxes, computer screens, cable boxes, and broadband modems this is on average some 40 – 120 kWh/y. In total, household losses can reach several hundreds kWhs/y, all for doing nothing useful.

A power strip is also the most practical way to switch of VCR, TV and DVD-player stand-by losses .

10. Do not use an electric boiler (hot water heater) for hot water 

An electric boiler consumes about 3,200 kWh/y. But producing that electricity in highly inefficient gas, coal or nuclear plants, and then transmitting that electricity down the power line to your home costs some 9,600 kWh in electricity wasted as heat - so roughly 2/3rds of the energy is lost before it even reaches your home. Using gas or oil directly to heat water reduces energy use to 3,800 kWh.

11. Use a water-saving shower head. 

The water-saving shower head delivers high comfort for only half of the water use 

Hot water is the second most important area of energy use in a household, after space heating, and thus needs extra attention. An efficient shower head can save almost 1,500 kWh electricity/y if an electric boiler is used, or 1,900 kWh heat if a gas or oil boiler/geyser is used. All this for just a few dollars/euros extra when you buy the showerhead. Over its lifetime of 10 years, a showerhead will also save some 70,000 litres of water.

12. Do not use electric space heating

Same reasons as for the electric boiler. Instead add insulation, and (ideally) heat your house using a renewable energy solution like solar thermal. However, gas heating is still far better than electric heating.