Silent consumers of energy in our homes
In the home, many devices consume electricity without us realising it. This is the case with multimedia equipment, which remains continuously in standby mode. For example, the red light on your television indicates that it is still using electricity, even though it appears to be off.
To avoid this waste of energy, you can implement certain simple changes and try to make them habits. Your wallet will thank you, and so will the planet!
Standby mode
Many electronic devices in the home continue to consume electricity even though they appear to be turned off, when in reality, they are on standby. This is the case when, for example, you press the off button on the remote control – your television turns off, but a small red light remains. The same goes for your games console, router, computer and printer.
One solution to save this energy is to use power strips with switches. Several devices are connected to one power strip (for example: TV, modem, games console and computer). Before going to bed, we press one switch to turn off all these devices completely.
Another way to avoid wasting energy on devices left on standby is to equip them with timers. This is especially useful for household appliances that you use at the same time each day, such as the coffee machine.
| Device | Power in watts (w) | Consumption in kWh/a | Basis of calculation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC with monitor | 40 | 70 | 8 hrs. / day - 220 days / year |
| Inkjet printer | 45 | 79 | 8 hrs. / day - 220 days / year |
| Laser printer black & white | 25 | 44 | 8 hrs. / day - 220 days / year |
| Scanner | 12 | 21 | 8 hrs. / day - 220 days / year |
| Photocopier | 70 | 123 | 8 hrs. / day - 220 days / year |
| Fax | 10 | 88 | 24 hrs. / day - 365 days / year |
| Answering machine | 3 | 26 | 24 hrs. / day - 365 days / year |
| Cordless phone | 6 | 53 | 24 hrs. / day - 365 days / year |
| Colour TV | 7 | 51 | 20 hrs. / day - 365 days / year |
| Satellite receiver | 9 | 79 | 24 hrs. / day - 365 days / year |
| Compact stereo system | 12 | 88 | 20 hrs. / day - 365 days / year |
| Video recorder | 8 | 67 | 23 hrs. / day - 365 days / year |
| Radio alarm | 1.5 | 13 | 23 hrs. / day - 365 days / year |
| Coffee machine - electronic clock | 2 | 18 | 24 hrs. / day - 365 days / year |
| Microwave - electronic clock incl. control electronics | 4 | 35 | 24 hrs. / day - 365 days / year |
| Electric cooker - electronic clock incl. control electronics | 5 | 44 | 24 hrs. / day - 365 days / year |
Chargers
Chargers left permanently in the socket also consume energy, although this waste is less significant than for large devices left on standby. So remember to unplug the charger from your electric toothbrush, your child’s night light and even your smartphone.
Follow these tips to avoid having to charge your phone too often: use power-saving mode, lower the screen brightness, close background apps and turn off GPS when you don’t need it. At night, switch your phone onto airplane mode or turn it off.
Computers
To save energy, choose a computer that suits your usage and adjust the settings so that the computer goes into power-saving mode when you are not using it for a period of time. Also, avoid using an additional screen unless you really need it.