Energy Saving Tips

Jon's energy saving tips

The amount of energy that we waste as a nation needs to be addressed, we waste nearly 50% of our food in this country I'm convinced that we waste the same......if not more energy. We are getting very close to our limits as a country and if something isn’t done we may have blackouts sooner than we think!

There are simple ways in which you can help reduce your energy usage, save you money, reduce your carbon footprint and help the planet at the same time. Below are a few simple tips to help, you may think that these are silly little things and they don’t make much difference but you will be very surprised. Once you are in the habit of doing these things it will become second nature, I have tried it and I have managed to reduce my electricity usage from 3300kWh/PA to only 1070kWh/PA, in total that is an annual saving of over £350. Not everyone will be able reduce it to such a level as this because of having families but the larger the usage, the larger the reductions can be. Having solar PV panels gives you a great advantage, but just because you’re able to produce your own energy you still need to be conscious about your usage.

  • Keep your kettle empty and only boil what water you need, it doesn't take much effort to fill your cup up then pour it into the kettle, if you have solar PV then buy yourself a 1kW kettle because this way when you’re making yourself a "cuppa" you could still have surplus energy available to use. If you use the standard 3kW kettles you will have to buy energy off the grid.
  • Just before your kettle is about to boil....switch it off.
  • Use a bit of elbow grease and a sponge instead of masses of hot water every time you wash up. Sometimes these new dishwashers may use less water but how much energy do they use to heat the water up? We can put energy into it with a sponge and get the same result for free, it just takes us a little time.
  • Splash out on some LED lamps, yes they are expensive but if you're on a budget simply change the ones you use the most, that way you will save more.
  • Switch off TVs and other items at the wall, don't leave them on standby.
  • Switch the light off when you leave the room, very simple but it rarely happens these days!
  • Turn your thermostat down a couple of degrees.
  • If your heating is on, take advantage of this and don't use the tumble dryer to dry your clothes.
  • Keep that fridge and freezer door shut when removing items, don't leave it open when you pour the milk in the cup.
  • Buy yourself an LED TV, these can run off as little energy as 30w which is less than a standard down light in your home, most large screen TV’s, LCD and Plasma are not that energy efficient and produce a lot of heat. That heat is your money!
  • Invest in rechargeable items such as a vacuum cleaner that will charge during the day when you (and the sun) are out, ready to be used in the evening.

  • These are simple things that I see happen all the time in normal life, yes the amount of energy that you will save is a small amount but it will enable you to have a free night out once in a while. Just imagine the amount of energy we could save as a nation (let alone on a global scale) of 60 million people if everybody did these few things. We all need to understand the real consequences of switching on that little switch.