Environment News
From "Maple Street Co-op News", Dec 2004/Jan 2005
Auditing Your Power Consumption
by Rod Castle
In today's global political and social climate, the way we choose to
source our energy -- and the impacts we have while using it -- is a
topical issue.
According to the website of the US-based Clear the Air campaign: "...in
terms of volume and variety of contaminants emitted, no other single
industry comes close to matching the negative impact from [coal-fired]
electric power plants. They are the single largest industrial source
of some of our worst air pollutants, including sulphur dioxide, nitrogen
oxides, carbon dioxide and mercury." This means, for those of us
unlucky enough to be connected to mains power, that we’re ethically
obliged to do what we can to reduce our energy needs.
Understanding where the power in the home is being used is a good step
and can empower people to start making serious energy reductions. One
tool in being able to do this is the 'energy audit'. This means taking
account of each item/appliance that uses electricity and recording its
wattage and hours used per day. The table featured here [see below]
is an example of a 'small house' energy audit.
This system of 3.8 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per day usage is relatively
small compared to the normal suburban home. Most electricity bills have
an analysis that shows the average kWh/day power use for that home.
After constructing your own energy audit, you can then check it against
the figure shown on the bill. This may sometimes show if some appliances
are overworking, such as an old fridge with leaky seals or a hot water
system that is turned up too high.
The Australian Greenhouse Office states that Australian households generate
almost one-fifth of Australia's greenhouse gases -- about 15 tonnes
per household each year -- through everyday activities such as transport,
household energy use and the decay of household waste in landfills.
It goes on to say that everyone can help reduce the impact of climate
change. There are lots of commonsense actions that households can take
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and many of these actions make good
financial sense as well. The Australian Greenhouse Office's website
has a great consumer guide for people wanting to purchase energyefficient
appliances; it helps explain the energy star rating system, gives tips
on practical and functional building
design and provides other information on greenhouse issues.
Energy audits like the one above are required when sizing and designing
a renewable energy or 'stand alone' power system. Most renewable energy
designers would suggest not using electricity for purposes such as hot
water, cooking and sometimes refrigeration when living with a typically
small 'stand alone' power system. Advice similar to this can be used
when trying to reduce your power requirements; for example, not overloading
the washing machine but still having a full load, and simply remembering
to turn off the lights when you don't need them on.
Grants and funds are available for people wanting to help reduce greenhouse
gas emissions. After fulfilling certain criteria, government rebates
of up to 50% are available for people installing renewable (e.g., solar)
power systems, and Maleny Credit Union through the Cool Communities
initiative also gives lower interest rate home loans on houses that
meet a number of energy-saving criteria.
Anyone wanting further information or assistance with installing a renewable
energy system, please contact me at Maple Street Co-op.
Website references
• Clear the Air campaign: http://www.cleartheair.org and http://cta.policy.net
• Australian Greenhouse Office: http://www.greenhouse.gov.au
An example of an Energy Audit for a house with a stand-alone power system
using 3.8 kilowatt hours of power per day:
ENERGY AUDIT
Item : Watts : Hours : AC W-hrs
Bedroom
light : 60 : 4 : 240
fan : 50 : 4 : 200
stereo : 20 : 3 : 60
Bedroom 2
light : 50 : 3 : 150
Hall
light : 60 : 2 : 120
Kitchen
light : 60 : 4 : 240
fridge : 130 : 8 : 1040
Lounge
television : 60 : 2 : 120
stereo : 50 : 2 : 100
video - - -
light : 60 : 6 : 360
light 2 : 40 : 2 : 80
Laundry
w/machine : 1100 : 1 : 1100
iron - - -
Other
vacuum cleaner - - -
outside light : 100 : 0.25 : 25
computer - - -
Total Watt-hours 3835
Kilowatt-hours (kWh) 3.8
[From "Maple Street Co-op News", Feb/Mar 2005; published by
The Maple Street Co-operative Society Ltd, 37 Maple Street, Maleny,
Qld 4552, Australia, tel (07) 5494 2088, email maplest.coop@serv.net.au,
website http://www.maplestreetco-op.com.au]