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Simple Ways To Save Energy

Adopt any or all of the actions below to save money and play your part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.


  Potential
Annual Cost Savings *
Annual Greenhouse Gas Savings (CO2-e)**
1. Replace your old water heater with a gas boosted solar water heater
 
• Replacing an electric water heater
• Replacing a gas water heater
$630
$491
3,490 kg
1,099 kg

2. Install ceiling insulation

$383

1,212 kg

3. Turn off the second fridge

$158

783 kg

4. Turn off appliances at the wall when not in use, saving standby power

$142

703 kg

5. Use a ceiling fan as an effective cooling alternative on most summer days

$129

637 kg
6. Reduce the length of your shower from 8 mins to 4 mins


• Electric water heater
• Gas water heater
$113
$69
559 kg
165 kg

7. Wash clothes in cold water instead of hot water
   
• Electric water heater
• Gas water heater
$98
$60
484 kg
142 kg

8. Turn off the home computer when not in use, or activate standby shutdown feature

$84

415 kg

9. Replace 4 incandescent globes with 4 compact fluorescents, in high use areas

$62

305 kg

10. Choose your air conditioner wisely. If you do decide to purchase a reverse cycle air conditioner, ensure it is an energy efficient high-star rated air-conditioner, rather than a low-star model. Remember, evaporative air conditioners have much lower greenhouse gas emissions than equivalent refrigerated air conditioning systems.

$63

291 kg

* Savings achieved depend upon your current energy usage patterns and will vary according to the mix of actions available to you.

**Buy GreenPower - You can be part of the solution to climate change and support the renewable energy industry by choosing accredited GreenPower for your energy needs. Your home could be powered by sustainable energy.

Assumptions

Note: Greenhouse gas emissions coefficient used for all calculations is 0 .87kg of carbon dioxide (CO2e) per kilowatt hour (kWh) for Western Australian power stations (Source: Australian NGA Factors and Methods Workbook November 2008).

Energy costs based on residential rate of 17.611 c/kWh (Source: Office of Energy), and gas tariffs of 10.04 c/kWh for the first 12 units on average per day and 9.06 c/kWh for over 12 units on average per day (Source: Alinta).

1. Based on a gas boosted solar hot water system with 75% solar contribution, replacing an electric or gas hot water system, each using 200L hot water/day/year.

2. Based on average sized home of 200m2, with one third of the total floor area heated. Cooling assumes a reverse cycle air conditioner, with an energy rating of 4.5 stars. Heating assumes a gas heater with 85% efficiency.

3. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2005) report 33% of West Australian homes have two or more fridges in use, one of which was purchased 10 or more years ago. Average energy performance is estimated at 900 kWh/year (Source: AGO 2006).

4. Based on a survey, typical consumption of standby power is 92.2 watts (W) per household (Source: AGO Standby Power Current Status Report, 2006). Items that consume standby power include TVs, DVD players, clock radios, microwave ovens, cordless phones, mobile phone chargers, faxes and printers.

5. Cost saving based on operating a 125 W fan run for 300 cooling hours, compared to a 2.5 star rated reverse cycle air conditioner run for 300 cooling hours. To compare model efficiency refer: www.energyrating.gov.au

6. Calculations are based on reducing shower time from 8 minutes to 4 minutes, for 2 showers per day. Shower flow rate is 12L/minute (AA rated showerhead), water heating provided by an electric or gas hot water system. Electric and gas water heater thermostat setting: 60ºC. Water temperature: 40ºC.

7. Cost savings based on substituting a cold wash for a hot wash, where hot wash water temperature is 40ºC. In this example, the washing machine has a 3 star WELS water rating, and assumes an electric or gas hot water system with a thermostat setting of 60ºC.

8. Savings based on a home computer with an average energy consumption of 100W (300W power supply with 33% duty cycle), used for 3 hours per day on weekdays and 6 hours per day on weekends. Idle energy consumption is 65W. Savings calculated in comparison to not turning the computer off after each use.

9. Calculations assume lamps are used for an average of 4 hours per day, each day of the year. Cost savings are based on the running costs of 4x15 W compact fluorescent lamps, in place of 4x75 W incandescent lamps.

10. Savings based on substitution of a reverse cycle air conditioner rated 5.5 star cooling, 5 star heating for a model rated 2.5 star cooling, 3 star heating, run for 300 cooling and 300 heating hours, per year. To compare model efficiency refer: www.energyrating.gov.au

11. Calculations other than water heating are based on over 12 units used on average per day.