Electricity is a resource used in all spheres of civilization. The price of kilowatt-hours is constantly rising, and the need to reduce consumption is becoming more acute. Energy saving implies rational consumption of electricity, encompasses a whole range of solutions: scientific, organizational, legal, economic and technical.
Saving electricity is not only a financial issue, but also an important environmental challenge. The world's energy reserves are gradually being depleted, nature is suffering in the process of production: the environment is polluted by emissions of fuel combustion products. Therefore, energy saving is a measure that can minimize the negative impact on the environment and save money.
Where kilowatts flow and how to reduce consumption
Almost no one thinks about the fact that the charger left in the network continues to work in standby mode. It is available for all power sources, switching and transformer. Consumption depends on the power of the device. The amount of electricity consumed in a year can be surprising.
In addition, modern devices are equipped with displays, indicators, for example, a clock on a microwave oven or a flashing LED on a stereo system. They also consume energy. The solution is to disconnect memory, occasional home appliances from the network.
The most voracious electrical appliances
Top 10 home appliances that consume the most energy that every home has:
- Fridge. It consumes about 40-60 kW per month. To reduce these figures, it is necessary to open the door less often.
- Washing machine. Consumption 40-50 kW, the exact figure depends on the frequency of washing, the methods used.
- Computer. 35-40 kW. Most users turn it off only at night.
- Kettle. It consumes a record amount of energy in 1 hour, 28-30 kW comes out in a month.
- Hairdryer. 25 kW in daily use.
- Dishwasher. 22-25 kW, depending on the power of the device, the number of operating hours.
- Microwave. Consumes 16-20 kW per month, if used 3 times a day, plus 2-3 hours per week for defrosting food.
- TV set. 13 kW during working hours - up to 5 hours a day. Standby increases this figure instead of turning it off.
- Vacuum cleaner and coffee maker. They consume the same amount of electricity - 10-12 kW, if the number of active hours does not exceed 2 per week.
- Iron. With moderate use - 7-8 kW.
So that you do not get upset every time you get an electricity bill, home appliances should initially be chosen based on needs. Buying a professional high-power vacuum cleaner for a small apartment is not practical, just like a 10 kg washing machine for a family of two.
Each device has an energy saving class, take the time to study the features before buying.
Does standby help save equipment?
The manufacturers claim that the power consumption of household appliances in hibernation mode is reduced to a minimum. This statement is partly true: consumption has been significantly reduced. However, there are concrete figures that call into question the actual savings.
It has been empirically confirmed that a TV with a diagonal of 50 cm consumes 9 kW per month in standby mode, stereo system - 7-8 kW, video player - 4-5 kW. If we add a computer, a microwave oven with the display always on, chargers forgotten in sockets and other devices to this list, then the total consumption reaches 370-420 kW per year.
This proves that for real savings it is still worth disconnecting equipment from the network.
How to save electricity? A good counter is an efficient way
In all apartments, houses, industrial facilities, equipment for calculating electricity consumption has been installed. In addition to its direct purpose - fixing the indicator, this device helps to save significantly.
Modern electronic meters support the multi-tariff function, in which you can schedule energy-intensive tasks for hours when the price per kilowatt is reduced. Supplier companies have introduced tariff distribution to reduce network load during peak hours, attracting subscribers to use electricity in less busy times.
There are the following periods that differ by unit price:
- T1 - daily: from 7 to 23 hours. Charging is standard.
- T2 - night phase: from 23: 00 to 07: 00Lowest price per kilowatt.
- T3 - peak period: in the morning - up to 10 hours, in the evening - from 20 to 23 hours. Increased unit costs.
At night the electricity is reduced by up to 70%. Many users put home appliances, such as washing machines and dishwashers, in "delayed start" mode. The devices automatically start working at a certain time and consume a resource that is paid for at a reduced rate.
To reduce energy consumption, it is not necessary to sacrifice comfort, it is enough to buy a multi-tariff electronic meter, with which the savings will be simple and efficient.