There are many energy saving products that can save you money and help protect the environment. One of the easiest ways you can be more energy efficient is to know exactly how much energy you are using and which appliances are using the most. With a greater awareness of your home’s energy consumption, you will be surprised how much of a difference you can make to reducing the overall cost of your electric bill. The basic figures contained within a monthly or quarterly electricity bill do not give you much information as to where your electricity is going – they just tell you how much you have used in total during that period. Therefore it is well worth considering purchasing an electricity usage monitor and using it to see exactly where all your money is going as they highlight wasteful, inefficient appliances. Alternatively consider investing in one of the latest wireless energy monitors which show you exactly how much money your total home or office electricity usage is costing you – in real time [1]. For example, the Efergy Energy Saving Meter records electricity consumption and converts it into a monetary value, based on the cost price of your electricity. This is recorded by day, week and month, and updates every six seconds, so you can easily see the cost of turning on the TV or making a cup of coffee. Data is stored in the internal memory, and past data can be seen by scrolling through the records. You could save 20% off your electricity bill with this device. Energy monitors are also a great way of educating your family on energy saving habits.
Moreover, a Voltage Master could also reduce your carbon emissions and electricity costs by up to 20%. It is a device that attaches to your incoming electricity supply and reduces the voltage of electricity coming into the building to 220. This there fore reduces the amount of kWh consumed and carbon emitted. Reducing the voltage to 220 does not alter the functioning of electrical appliances as they only need 220 volts to operate at optimum efficiency [2].
Here are some more energy efficient products:
- Energy efficient light bulbs use 80% less electricity than standard bulbs (as they do not convert energy into heat), can last up to ten times longer and give you some significant energy savings. They are inexpensive to buy and come in all shapes and sizes.
- Solar powered lights for the garden convert the suns energy into electricity, are energy efficient and do not require extensions leads or electrical fittings.
- The eco kettle uses over 30% less energy than standard kettles as it has a reservoir holding a full capacity of water and a measuring button that allows the exact quantity of water you need to be released into a separate chamber for boiling.
- The energy saving adaptor works by shutting down the power right to the extensions when you turn off the device that is plugged in saving you a significant amount of electricity.
- Energy saving night lights are ideal for lighting bedrooms or halls and they can operate all day everyday for an entire year for under 50 pence!
- Water powered clocks are extremely environmentally friendly to run in comparison to battery run clocks as there is no waste and they keep going as batteries do.
- Similarly, wind up products such as torches, radios, phone chargers offer a brilliant alternative to batteries and electricity as they are reliable and do not produce waste. They are particularly useful when an electricity source is not available, such as when camping or hiking.
- Laundry Dryer Balls dry your laundry 25% faster than normal as they lift and separate the clothes and heat is retained within the balls and transferred directly onto the laundry.
- The radiator booster is a small fan that draws heat from a standard radiator and gently distributes it better into the room. This warms the room in half the normal time, reducing energy lost and allowing the boiler to shut down sooner and thus cutting down heating bills. This device could save an average household between £70 and £140 pr year.
- Eco Hair Dryers gives the same drying performance as 2000W hair dryers whilst using half the energy.
- Using a slow cooker can save energy and money as they use up to 66% less energy than a conventional oven.
- Using an energy efficient vacuum cleaner delivers the same performance as a 2000W motor but only uses 1000W. Thus it is economical and more environmentally friendly than conventional vacuum cleaners.
- Eco irons have a special shut-off feature that switches itself off if it has not been used for three minutes. Energy is saved because when you stop, it stops.
- Eco-lectric toasters use 34% less energy than regular toasters because they have a lid which keeps heat in around the toast and prevents it from escaping.
- Standby saving devices saves energy, reduces harmful carbon dioxide emissions and saves money as they completely switch of electrical appliances and devices rather than leaving them on standby.
- By using a fridge thermometer, you can control the temperature of your fridge or freezer and avoid wasting energy by making sure they are at optimum temperature.
- Computers account for around half the electricity used in a typical office. The ecobutton is an illuminating USB device that acts as a reminder to press its button whenever the computer is going to be left idle, for example, when at lunch, meetings, breaks and so on. When the button is pressed it ensures that the computer and monitor operate in the most efficient, lowest power mode available without the need to restart it when the user returns. This device could save you between £50 and £100 per year.
- Finally, a device for your car. Magno-Fuel provides better combustion and more power for your engine while reducing the pollution it produces. They are easily fitted around the fuel line and will give you fuel savings of up to 15%.
[1] www.reuk.co.uk
