Buying Energy Efficient Appliances

Say watt?! This handy appliance guide provides estimates for how much energy your favourite appliances are really using. Some of them may surprise you!

 To save money, you need to consider the amount of time you use an appliance for and where you can use less energy. Take a look at the guide below for an indication of how much your appliances are currently costing you.

The following running costs are based on an average peak electricity tariff of 30 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), an off-peak electricity tariff of 15 cents per kWh, and an average gas tariff of three cents per megajoule (MJ).

Heating and Cooling

Heating and cooling your home uses more energy and costs more money than any other system in your home - typically making up about 40% of your bill.

Notes:
A. Estimated running costs are based on 30 cents per kWh for electricity (peak) or 3 cents per MJ for natural gas unless otherwise stated.
B. Estimated running costs have been based on 0.36 MJ per hour (100W) of heating per m2
C. Based on an off-peak electricity tariff of 15 cents per kWh.
D. Based on a 200m2 home with 140m2 heated (this excludes bathrooms and garages etc).
E. Due to the larger consumption of ducted systems, running costs are based on 2 cents per MJ for natural gas and 33 cents per kWh for electricity.
F. Based on a tonne of firewood costing $350 and generating 4500 kWh of heat.

Stand-by Power Consumption

The amount of energy used during stand-by could be up to 20 watts, depending on the type and model of appliance. Every one watt of stand-by will add approximately $2.63 to your annual energy bill if left on all the time.

Other Appliances

Aside from using the above guides, ensure you always look at the energy efficient star rating when buying goods for your home or business. The rule of thumb is the higher the number of stars, the more money you will save. White goods typically use the most power in Australian households but many homeowners don't realise the cheap products they are buying are actually energy inefficient. Paying more in the short-term for energy efficient appliances could save you money on your power bill in the long run. For example, by buying a fridge with a 4-star energy rating as opposed to a 2-star rating, you could save approximately $588 over the life of the fridge (assuming it lasts 10 years).

Sources: Energy Made Easy and A Current Affair

Want more tips on buying energy efficient appliances? Please do not hesitate to contact us on 1300 85 98 82 or atenquiries@reactiveenergy.com.au.