My Energy use Diary
Options
setmefree2
Posts: 9,072 Forumite
I have started another personal challenge. This one is to reduce our energy use:-
I've analysed our use as follows:-
GAS
June Qtr 2006 61 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.34
June Qtr 2007 42 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £0.96
June Qtr 2008 50 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.12
June Qtr 2009 30 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £0.78
June Qtr 2010 37 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.16 TARRIFF INCREASE APR 2010
Sept Qtr 2006 8 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £0.08
Sept Qtr 2007 11 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £0.32
Sept Qtr 2008 8 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £0.23
Sept Qtr 2009 11 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £0.36
Dec Qtr 2006 66Kilowat hrs per day Cost Per day £1.43
Dec Qtr 2007 66 Kilowat hrs per day Cost Per day £1.43
Dec Qtr 2008 69 Kilowat hrs per day Cost Per day £1.50
Dec Qtr 2009 51 Kilowat hrs per day Cost Per day £1.21
Mar Qtr 2007 118 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £2.48
Mar Qtr 2008 113 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £2.38
Mar Qtr 2009 104 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £2.19
Mar Qtr 2010 114 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £2.40
ELECTRICITY
June Qtr 2007 17 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.32
June Qtr 2008 18 kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.39
June Qtr 2009 15 kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.16
June Qtr 2010 18 kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.84 TARRIFF INCREASE APR 2010
Sept Qtr 2006 16 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.20
Sept Qtr 2007 14 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per Day £1.12
Sept Qtr 2008 11 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per Day £0.89
Sept Qtr 2009 15 Kilowot hrs per day Cost Per Day £1.13
Dec Qtr 2006 21 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.57
Dec Qtr 2007 21 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.57
Dec Qtr 2008 17 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.30
Dec Qtr 2009 20 Kilowat hrs per day Cost Per day £1.50
Mar Qtr 2007 23 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.72
Mar Qtr 2008 25 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.73
Mar Qtr 2009 20 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.48
Mar Qtr 2010 21 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.58
Both Mr and Mrs SMF2 work from home alot. Though Mr SMF2 is away alot. So the challenge is to try and get these usage figures down. At the moment we have a capped dual fule rate with BG fixed until 1st May 2010 - (it was capped in 2005, I think).
[threadbanner]box[/threadbanner]
I've analysed our use as follows:-
GAS
June Qtr 2006 61 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.34
June Qtr 2007 42 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £0.96
June Qtr 2008 50 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.12
June Qtr 2009 30 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £0.78
June Qtr 2010 37 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.16 TARRIFF INCREASE APR 2010
Sept Qtr 2006 8 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £0.08
Sept Qtr 2007 11 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £0.32
Sept Qtr 2008 8 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £0.23
Sept Qtr 2009 11 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £0.36
Dec Qtr 2006 66Kilowat hrs per day Cost Per day £1.43
Dec Qtr 2007 66 Kilowat hrs per day Cost Per day £1.43
Dec Qtr 2008 69 Kilowat hrs per day Cost Per day £1.50
Dec Qtr 2009 51 Kilowat hrs per day Cost Per day £1.21
Mar Qtr 2007 118 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £2.48
Mar Qtr 2008 113 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £2.38
Mar Qtr 2009 104 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £2.19
Mar Qtr 2010 114 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £2.40
ELECTRICITY
June Qtr 2007 17 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.32
June Qtr 2008 18 kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.39
June Qtr 2009 15 kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.16
June Qtr 2010 18 kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.84 TARRIFF INCREASE APR 2010
Sept Qtr 2006 16 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.20
Sept Qtr 2007 14 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per Day £1.12
Sept Qtr 2008 11 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per Day £0.89
Sept Qtr 2009 15 Kilowot hrs per day Cost Per Day £1.13
Dec Qtr 2006 21 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.57
Dec Qtr 2007 21 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.57
Dec Qtr 2008 17 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.30
Dec Qtr 2009 20 Kilowat hrs per day Cost Per day £1.50
Mar Qtr 2007 23 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.72
Mar Qtr 2008 25 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.73
Mar Qtr 2009 20 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.48
Mar Qtr 2010 21 Kilowat hrs per day Cost per day £1.58
Both Mr and Mrs SMF2 work from home alot. Though Mr SMF2 is away alot. So the challenge is to try and get these usage figures down. At the moment we have a capped dual fule rate with BG fixed until 1st May 2010 - (it was capped in 2005, I think).
[threadbanner]box[/threadbanner]
0
Comments
-
So we have:-
1) Replaced bulbs with energy saving
2) Cut down use of tumble drier, dish washer & washing machine
3) Am using a flask for hot water
4) Bought a carpet sweeper
5) Make sure everything is switched off when not in use
6) Reduced hot water being on to 1ce per day.
I have been doing this for 9 days. Our average electricity use for this time of year is 15 Kilowat hours per day. For 7 days we have managed to use less than this (range 5 to 13) and matched it twice.0 -
Highly commendable! :T:T
I've just started keeping a similar log 3 weeks ago but I am cheating a little as I have only myself to answer to so no need to negotiate.
I'm finding it hard to squeeze out more kilowatt hours though. Hand washing dishes in cold water is one I've adopted even better if stuff isn't greasy.
I've cheated with the gas though cos I switched it off - central heating only.0 -
setmefree2 wrote: »So we have:-
1) Replaced bulbs with energy saving
2) Cut down use of tumble drier, dish washer & washing machine
3) Am using a flask for hot water
4) Bought a carpet sweeper
5) Make sure everything is switched off when not in use
6) Reduced hot water being on to 1ce per day.
I have been doing this for 9 days. Our average electricity use for this time of year is 15 Kilowat hours per day. For 7 days we have managed to use less than this (range 5 to 13) and matched it twice.
I tried all this a while back -
1) Energy saving bulbs did not make a detectable difference to my daily usage - the benefits of these things have been totally overstated.
2) Less use of the tumble drier definitely works but the effect of using the washing-machine less was much less noticeable (its A rated anyway).
The biggest use of electricity in my house it the electric shower - rated at 10 KW it accounts for under half the electricity used in the house (4 units per day). If you have one of these I suggest you could make the largest savings here.0 -
Hi
Things are going well and I'm learning as I go.:D
ELECTRICITY
Over the last 10 days we have averaged 10 kilowot per hr usgae down from 15. That's a reduction of a THIRD on this time of year.
I have been;-
1) Line drying all clothes. (I am also going to buy some tumble drier balls for the winter when I'm next at the shops).
2) Washing only twice a week with full loads and low temperatures.
3) Using flask for hot water
4) Everything turned off - nothing on stand by
5) Stopped using dish washer (and it hasn't gone smelly - phew)
6) Realised my lap top is more economical than a desk top computer (I work from home and so does Mr SMF2)
7) Using carpet sweeper instead of vacuum cleaner
8) Found some compact SES light bulbs, which I havn't seen before.
GAS
We don't use much of this in the summer but I am now heating water up once a day - instead of 2 times. This has worked well so far.
The whole family is now involved. Mr SMF2 (aka gadget man) bought a gadget for measuring usage of appliances, gadgets, etc which is enlightening. But I was stunned to find that my kids are actually start to switch their lights of before they go to school. Unheard of. There's hope for us yet!
All The Best
SMF20 -
thescouselander wrote: »Less use of the tumble drier definitely works but the effect of using the washing-machine less was much less noticeable (its A rated anyway).
Agree with this - my washing machine does seem economical. But since we are reasonably clued up, any energy saving we do is going to be at the margins....every little helps.0 -
thescouselander wrote: »The biggest use of electricity in my house it the electric shower - rated at 10 KW it accounts for under half the electricity used in the house (4 units per day). If you have one of these I suggest you could make the largest savings here.
Our weakness is PCs I think:o Followed by dishwasher, tumble drier (in winter) and my massive SMEG oven...though I have a smaller combination microwave/oven which I use alot.:p0 -
thescouselander wrote: »1) Energy saving bulbs did not make a detectable difference to my daily usage - the benefits of these things have been totally overstated.
Don't really see how you can say that - it is a simple matter of arithmetic. Low energy lamps use about 20% of the power of tungsten filament lamps and last 6 to 10 times longer - the benefits are plain to see.
For 8000 hrs of light.
One 20W low energy lamp lasts 8000hrs, uses 160kWh over it's life, plus £1 for the lamp = £17 (assume electricity @ 10p/kWh)
Eight 100W tungsten lamps use 800kWh over their life, plus £2 for 8 lamps = £820 -
Hi :hello:,
I have a 6.5 l slowcooker. I filled it with spag bol at 11 o'clock and have just switched it off. Using Mr SMF2's gadget it used 1.18 kilowats. I reckon that's about 7 or 8 pence:D:T. There is enough spag bol to feed at least 10 - if not more. Chuffed!:money:0 -
moonrakerz wrote: »Don't really see how you can say that - it is a simple matter of arithmetic. Low energy lamps use about 20% of the power of tungsten filament lamps and last 6 to 10 times longer - the benefits are plain to see.
For 8000 hrs of light.
One 20W low energy lamp lasts 8000hrs, uses 160kWh over it's life, plus £1 for the lamp = £17 (assume electricity @ 10p/kWh)
Eight 100W tungsten lamps use 800kWh over their life, plus £2 for 8 lamps = £82
Your maths are right, but the key words thescouselander used were "Energy saving bulbs did not make a detectable difference to my daily usage"
Your calculations, ignoring the cost of the bulbs as we are only interested in the daily electricity usage, show that an energy saving bulb will save £64 over 8000 hours of use.
Supposing you use the bulb for 6 hours per day, that makes it 1333.333 days of use you get from the bulb (8000/6). 6400 pence / 1333.333 = 4.8 pence per day.
Every household is different, but I suppose some would find a saving of 4.8p per day to be undetectable. Especially if the amount the household uses per day varies, it would be difficult to detect a 4.8p drop.0 -
What about these "key words" ?geordie_joe wrote: »Your maths are right, but the key words thescouselander used were "Energy saving bulbs did not make a detectable difference to my daily usage"
"the benefits of these things have been totally overstated"
- the benefits have not been overstated as I, and others, have shown - simple maths, they use MUCH less electricity.
I really fail to see why these devices are poo-poohed, £17 against £82 for each light seems a no-brainer to me.geordie_joe wrote: »Supposing you use the bulb for 6 hours per day .....Every household is different,
Very true - most houses have more than one light - if you have kids, every b****y light is on !
0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
- 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 449.7K Spending & Discounts
- 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
- 608.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 173.1K Life & Family
- 247.9K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards