A study by power company Eon has found that British households waste £134 million a year in electricity costs by overcharging mobiles phones and laptop computers.
One can only assume that over the festive period the authors of the report didn't feel like checking in with any remotely qualified engineers that would point out that the vast majority of chargers, and all chargers for anything with a lithium-chemistry battery like phones and laptops, stop charging the battery when its full.
If they didn't, the battery would dangerously overheat. For batteries using nickle cadmium or nickle metal hydride chemistries, typically chargers will fast charge and then switch to a trickle when the battery is near full. That trickle is important to maintain the cell capacity, lest you want to pick up your device and find it has no charge at all.
That said, there is a nugget of truth regarding wasting of power by leaving devices plugged into a charger after they have finished charging. A small amount of residual power will be drawn by the AC adaptor, usually a couple of watts or so.
In recent years there's been a raising of awareness over so-called phantom power consumption of devices with unusually large power draw when in stand-by, such as set-top boxes. The upshot of that was that manufacturers improved their standby power consumption and it's still an area worth highlighting.
Ironically Eon was using the report to draw attention to their Energy Fit plan which consists of a power meter and a free smartphone app.
full article
Wednesday 4 January 2012
Tuesday 3 January 2012
Five ways to save money on your energy bills
Insulate your home
There's no point in spending money heating your house if it is simply leaking into the atmosphere, so make sure your home is as insulated as possible. According to the Energy Saving Trust, cavity wall insulation is the most effective energy-saving measure you can take.
This simple measure, which involves injecting foam into the gap between your walls, can save £110 a year. There are grants available for installing this, especially if you are over 60. Try the Energy Saving Trust's grant search tool on www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
Loft insulation, which saves around £40 a year on the average house, can also be installed at a subsidised cost, if you can get a grant. Most homes have some loft insulation, but normally fall short of the recommended level of 220mm.
Switch to the cheapest provider
The biggest change you can make to energy bills is by making sure you are on the cheapest tariff for gas and electricity. This won't make any difference to the quality of the energy supplied to you, but it could make a vast difference to the cost.
Give your boiler an MOT
If you buy boiler insurance cover you may get a service with it – however, this has risen by as much as 20pc since last year and now costs between £150 and £200, so it pays to check whether you really need it.
If your boiler is really old and does need replacing, it may pay to do it sooner rather than later. The Energy Saving Trust calculates that the difference between gas bills from a home with an old boiler to one with an ultra-efficient new one is as much as £225 a year for an average three-bedroom semi. Getting a new one sorted before winter kicks in could be sensible if you know that yours is on its last legs.
Keep an eye on your usage
Some companies, are energy monitors out free to customers; or you can buy one from theOwl.com for from just over £20.
These can be attached to your electricity meter, and can act as a powerful incentive to switch off lights and appliances by showing you exactly how much your usage is costing.
Studies suggest you could save 5pc of your electricity bills by using one, although of course this is a behavioural saving – you won't get cheaper bills just from looking at the monitor.
Sadly, these do not yet exist for gas meters.
Stop up the gaps
You can also increase your winter comfort factor by blocking draughts, especially if you have single-glazed windows. Just fitting draught stripping across your doors could save you £25 in winter. Even when the figures sound unimpressive, don't underestimate the extra comfort that thick curtains, draught excluders and other cheap measures can bring.
Rosalyn Dungate, of the Energy Saving Trust, suggests blocking cracks between floors and skirting boards with material, newspaper or decorator's caulking, a cheap home-made solution that could save money and make life far warmer.
Plenty of heat is also lost through your chimney if it is open, so if you're not having fires, try using a chimney balloon to seal it. These are easily deflated and removed.
full article
There's no point in spending money heating your house if it is simply leaking into the atmosphere, so make sure your home is as insulated as possible. According to the Energy Saving Trust, cavity wall insulation is the most effective energy-saving measure you can take.
This simple measure, which involves injecting foam into the gap between your walls, can save £110 a year. There are grants available for installing this, especially if you are over 60. Try the Energy Saving Trust's grant search tool on www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
Loft insulation, which saves around £40 a year on the average house, can also be installed at a subsidised cost, if you can get a grant. Most homes have some loft insulation, but normally fall short of the recommended level of 220mm.
Switch to the cheapest provider
The biggest change you can make to energy bills is by making sure you are on the cheapest tariff for gas and electricity. This won't make any difference to the quality of the energy supplied to you, but it could make a vast difference to the cost.
Give your boiler an MOT
If you buy boiler insurance cover you may get a service with it – however, this has risen by as much as 20pc since last year and now costs between £150 and £200, so it pays to check whether you really need it.
If your boiler is really old and does need replacing, it may pay to do it sooner rather than later. The Energy Saving Trust calculates that the difference between gas bills from a home with an old boiler to one with an ultra-efficient new one is as much as £225 a year for an average three-bedroom semi. Getting a new one sorted before winter kicks in could be sensible if you know that yours is on its last legs.
Keep an eye on your usage
Some companies, are energy monitors out free to customers; or you can buy one from theOwl.com for from just over £20.
These can be attached to your electricity meter, and can act as a powerful incentive to switch off lights and appliances by showing you exactly how much your usage is costing.
Studies suggest you could save 5pc of your electricity bills by using one, although of course this is a behavioural saving – you won't get cheaper bills just from looking at the monitor.
Sadly, these do not yet exist for gas meters.
Stop up the gaps
You can also increase your winter comfort factor by blocking draughts, especially if you have single-glazed windows. Just fitting draught stripping across your doors could save you £25 in winter. Even when the figures sound unimpressive, don't underestimate the extra comfort that thick curtains, draught excluders and other cheap measures can bring.
Rosalyn Dungate, of the Energy Saving Trust, suggests blocking cracks between floors and skirting boards with material, newspaper or decorator's caulking, a cheap home-made solution that could save money and make life far warmer.
Plenty of heat is also lost through your chimney if it is open, so if you're not having fires, try using a chimney balloon to seal it. These are easily deflated and removed.
full article
Saturday 31 December 2011
Postponement of solar tariff cuts welcomed
The region’s renewable energy suppliers have welcomed a High Court ruling which postponed planned cuts to solar tariffs – but warned uncertain times still lay ahead for the industry.
East Anglia’s domestic energy sector has grown dramatically in recent years as homeowners rushed to cash in on a government incentive guaranteeing a payment for every kilowatt generated by solar panels on their roofs.
But the burgeoning industry was thrown into panic on October 31 when energy minister Greg Barker announced the feed-in tariff (FIT) would be halved from 43p to 21p/kWh for systems up to 4kW registered after December 12.
The five-week deadline prompted an unprecedented rush for installations – and a legal challenge by Friends of the Earth and two solar companies who said it was creating “huge economic uncertainty”.
Last Wednesday, Mr Justice Mitting agreed the decision to set the deadline 11 days before the consultation into the scheme had finished was unlawful.
But after the government announced it would appeal against the ruling, the region’s suppliers are once again anxiously awaiting confirmation of changes which could affect their customers and employees.
full article
East Anglia’s domestic energy sector has grown dramatically in recent years as homeowners rushed to cash in on a government incentive guaranteeing a payment for every kilowatt generated by solar panels on their roofs.
But the burgeoning industry was thrown into panic on October 31 when energy minister Greg Barker announced the feed-in tariff (FIT) would be halved from 43p to 21p/kWh for systems up to 4kW registered after December 12.
The five-week deadline prompted an unprecedented rush for installations – and a legal challenge by Friends of the Earth and two solar companies who said it was creating “huge economic uncertainty”.
Last Wednesday, Mr Justice Mitting agreed the decision to set the deadline 11 days before the consultation into the scheme had finished was unlawful.
But after the government announced it would appeal against the ruling, the region’s suppliers are once again anxiously awaiting confirmation of changes which could affect their customers and employees.
full article
Tuesday 6 December 2011
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide is lethal because it hijacks haemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells. This starves the body of oxygen, affecting vital functions, causing a heart attack, coma and ultimately death.
While most households have a smoke detector, less than a third have a carbon monoxide alarm, which cost from £10.
Even if you have no fuel-burning appliances in your home, you still need an alert because the gas can pass though walls from next door.
Tony Brunton, of CO Awareness, says always look for a UK certified alarm that makes a noise, rather than flashes, if the gas is detected. ‘Carbon monoxide can kill in three minutes,’ he says. ‘If it’s in the house, you want something that tells you to get out immediately, not flashes up a different colour.’
Beware if:
■ You see yellow or orange flames in boilers and heaters when there should be blue ones.
■ There is soot on the walls around fires and water heaters.
■ Your chimney is blocked by nesting birds or your exit flue or airbricks are covered by plants growing up the walls.
The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are, in many ways, similar to flu.
The key difference is that they tend to disappear as soon as you go outside and get fresh air as the oxygen levels in the blood are restored. That’s why it’s important to mention any concerns about ventilation or heating in your home to your doctor.
Symptoms to watch out for include:
Headaches
Anxiety and depression
Nausea
Tiredness and drowsiness
Dizziness
Vomiting
Heart palpitations
Chest pain
Personality change and clumsiness
full article
While most households have a smoke detector, less than a third have a carbon monoxide alarm, which cost from £10.
Even if you have no fuel-burning appliances in your home, you still need an alert because the gas can pass though walls from next door.
Tony Brunton, of CO Awareness, says always look for a UK certified alarm that makes a noise, rather than flashes, if the gas is detected. ‘Carbon monoxide can kill in three minutes,’ he says. ‘If it’s in the house, you want something that tells you to get out immediately, not flashes up a different colour.’
Beware if:
■ You see yellow or orange flames in boilers and heaters when there should be blue ones.
■ There is soot on the walls around fires and water heaters.
■ Your chimney is blocked by nesting birds or your exit flue or airbricks are covered by plants growing up the walls.
The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are, in many ways, similar to flu.
The key difference is that they tend to disappear as soon as you go outside and get fresh air as the oxygen levels in the blood are restored. That’s why it’s important to mention any concerns about ventilation or heating in your home to your doctor.
Symptoms to watch out for include:
Headaches
Anxiety and depression
Nausea
Tiredness and drowsiness
Dizziness
Vomiting
Heart palpitations
Chest pain
Personality change and clumsiness
full article
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