Especially when the consumer price index for household energy is particularly high, it may be worth taking a look at which household appliances use unnecessarily much electricity and how you can save. Here are the biggest power guzzlers.
Consumer electronics draw the most power
According to data from the Federal Association for Energy and Water Management (BDEW) from 2021, 28 percent of annual electricity consumption goes to televisions, game consoles and the like. There has been a drastic change here in the last 20 years. While the consumption of information and communication technology, i.e. televisions, game consoles and computers, has more than doubled, the consumption of refrigerators and freezers has almost halved due to more efficient devices.
Joshua Jahn from the Brandenburg Consumer Center points out in an interview with the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger that a better energy efficiency class does not mean less consumption. Because a large television with the best energy efficiency class still consumes more than a small television in the worst energy efficiency class, says Jahn. In addition, it may be worth using a laptop more often instead of a desktop PC, as this only costs the equivalent of ten euros in electricity per year, while a desktop PC would cost around 35 euros. In addition, there is the possibility of charging your laptop at work or at university, which saves you further costs at home.
But what about the really large household appliances? After all, washing and drying account for 14 percent of annual consumption and refrigerators and freezers eleven percent. Here you have to look individually at whether a new purchase is worth it, as this is often associated with higher costs. An electricity meter can help here, with which you can then extrapolate the consumption and see to what extent it is worth buying a new one. It can be worthwhile, especially for devices that are ten to 15 years old, as the devices have now become a lot more efficient.
Just turn off devices?
In fact, the devices continue to consume electricity in standby mode. As the consumer advice center states on its website, there is an EU requirement which stipulates that the consumption of devices in standby mode is limited to 0.5 watts. However, this limit does not apply to smart TVs, game consoles and printers. It is therefore worth switching off these devices when they are not being used in order to save unnecessary power consumption in the background. With smart TVs, however, you should consult the instructions for use again, as there are some televisions that require power even when they are not in use.
Joshua Jahn further explains to the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger that completely switching off some devices in a three-person household can save up to 100 euros annually. Socket strips with a toggle switch are recommended, says Jahn. Some WiFi routers also have a function to automate switching off. This means you can also save electricity at night when you are not using it, without having to unplug it every time.
However, are there ways to save electricity while using it? The BDEW market partner organization HEA further states in a BDEW press release that it is generally worth paying attention to the energy efficiency label of the device; as mentioned, the size of the device also depends on this. It is also worth darkening monitor and television screens while using them. When it comes to refrigerators, washing machines, etc., the only option is to use more economical models.
How much do Germans save?
According to BDEW, households consumed almost 130 billion kWh of electricity in 2021. The Federal Environment Agency reports consumption of eight percent in 2021 compared to 2008. This year is important because in 2010 the federal government set itself the goal of reducing electricity consumption by ten percent by 2020 compared to 2008 with an energy concept. This goal was also provisionally achieved in 2020, but last year was significantly influenced by the corona pandemic. Accordingly, consumption in 2021 will slightly miss the federal government’s target, according to the Federal Environment Agency on its website.
Things may look different in 2022. In a survey by BDEW in July 2022, three quarters of those surveyed said they had changed their consumption behavior with regard to energy costs. Only one in five said they had not changed their behavior. 56 percent said they lowered the room temperature and 48 percent said they heated fewer rooms. Furthermore, 45 percent said they showered less and 13 percent said they had already invested in programmable thermostats or radiators. For 67 percent of those surveyed, the reason for saving is the increased energy costs, while around 19 percent are saving for environmental reasons. However, it remains to be seen to what extent the saved energy really affects overall electricity consumption. It also remains to be seen to what extent the planned relief will affect consumption or whether it will come at all.
Editorial team finanzen.net