Decades ago the government promoted a form of energy efficiency recognition by the allocation of a star rating for electrical appliances. Customers in electrical stores are now familiar with a sticker on the front of fridges and washing machines. The more stars on that sticker the better because those products with the most stars are the cheapest to run by way of the electricity used.
The era of rooftop solar panels to generate electricity for home owners has changed the game. When those solar panels are installed they come with a meter that shows exactly how many watts of power the panels are delivering, and that depends on whether it is a day of full sun or if the weather is cloudy. Many home owners quickly learn to estimate the likely meter reading by a quick glance out the window - and plan their energy use accordingly.
The key to understanding energy usage is the term "Watts "which describes the amount of power, just as litres describes liquids and kilos describes weights. We need to know how many Watts of power each electrical item uses to balance this against what our solar panels are delivering. For instance, can we run the washing machine at the same time as we vacuum the carpets - or should be vacuum first before we start the washing machine ? The Watts delivered by our solar panels are free - and we save money by using them rather than using power charged through the electricity meter - but to do that we need to know more about how much each electrical item consumes.
That star rating was a good idea in an earlier age, but now it would be a better idea if the manufacturers of all electrical items - including everything that runs on electricity - were required to display a notification of exactly how many Watts that item consumes if run constantly for one hour. In that way, people could balance the input from their solar panels with the output required to match use with the electrical items that they wish to use - to obtain maximum cost efficiency.
It could be said that this would only benefit those with solar panels, but in reality we are already becoming conscious of what the Watt implies. When electricity prices surged most people replaced the old incandescent light bulbs with the new - but more expensive to buy - low energy units and discovered that a mere 20 Watt bulb would deliver the same amount of light than the previous 100 Watt globe.
At present, the vast array of electrical items in the average home delivers little knowledge of it's electrical efficiency. The Watt usage per hour should be a required display on computers, printers, televisions, and even on the charging stations for accessories such as mobile phones and tablets. Where such items have a "stand by " capacity, both stand by and off at the switch mode should both be displayed. The world has advanced beyond the need of a star system for major items. We need the precise consumption rates for all electrical items in our household to better manage electricity usage - whether solar or charged through the meter.
As most canny shoppers well know. Items with a single star are usually the cheapest of the products on display, because they cost the most to run. We need a law change to require electricity usage in Watt terms because the manufacturers of inefficient energy products will not voluntarily display that information. Such a requirement will also be a huge incentive to upgrade the product to make it more competitive.
That old star system served us well in the past, but it applies only to major items and our needs are fast changing as innovation increases the electrical items in use. If we are to gain control over our electricity consumption we need legislation to mandate the energy use of all forms of electricals - and that can only be achieved by national legislation !
No comments:
Post a Comment