A SMALL CHANGE CAN LEAD TO BIG SAVINGS

HELPING

YOU TO SAVE

ENERGY &

MONEY

This guidebook contains simple tips to help you reduce your electricity consumption and as a result, your electricity bill. We would recommend that you read them carefully, so as to start saving energy and money as from today.

At home, you have the power to save energy and money.

Saving energy reduces our nation’s overall demand for resources, like coal and heavy oil, required to produce energy; you therefore create less greenhouse gas emissions, keeping the air cleaner for everyone, and above all, reducing your electricity bill.

Definitions 1

Electricity to your home 2

Your home energy use 3

Lighting 4

Refrigerator 8

Air conditioner 10

Laundry 12

Iron 14

Dishwasher 16

Cooking 18

Microwave 20

Standby power 22

Energy label 25

Real cost of an appliance 25

Spend a little more to save money 26

Reading an electricity bill 27

Track your energy consumption 29

CON

TEN

TS

DEfINITIONS

EXAMPLES

A vacuum cleaner of 1,000 W used for 1 hour = 1 kWh

A 40 W light bulb that burns for 25 hours = 1 kWh

kWh

1hour

25hours

WATTS OR KILOWATTSAll household appliances are rated in watts or kilowatts. This indicates how much electricity an appliance uses in a certain amount of time.

1 kW = 1,000 wattsThe higher the rating of the appliance, the more electricity it uses.

KILOWATTS/HOURAll electricity consumption in your home is measured in a unit called a kilowatt per hour (kWh).

1 kWh = 1,000 Wconsumed in one hour

1000 W

40 W

POWER

X =

TIME ENERGY

11

ELECTRICITY TO YOUR HOME

Power stations Step up transformer Transmission line

Step down transformer

Distribution line

Electricity generated in power stations is stepped up to high voltage by step-up transformers. It is then stepped down to low voltage by step-down transformers for distribution to the customers.

Most of our electricity is produced from fossil fuels. Saving energy will reduce the burning of fossil fuels and emissions of greenhouse gases.

1 2 3

45

2

YOUR HOME’S EnERgY USEA home energy assessment (sometimes referred to as an energy audit) shows which part of your home uses the most energy and suggests the best ways to cut down energy costs.

The diagram below shows the contribution of each appliance for a typical household in an electricity bill.

Cleaning Appliances

Lighting

Computers

Cooking Appliances

Comfort (AC and Fan)

Entertainment(TV/DVD/HIFI)

Heating (Electric Water Heater)

Refrigeration (Refrigerator/Freezer)

11%3%

15%

10%

16%

8%9%

28%

3

LIGHTING

4

LIGHTINGWHAT YOU CAN DO

Instead of an incandescent bulb, you can use a LED one.

LIGHTING

LED BULB• It uses about 85% less electricity to produce same amount of light.

• It lights on instantly.

• It has a longer lifetime (approximately 50,000 hours).

• It has no mercury content and is safe for the environment.

INCANDESCENT LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED)

ADVANTAGES

LIgHTIng

5

WHAT YOU CAN DOInstead of a linear fluorescent tube (T8), choose a LED tube (T8 LED).

The letter ‘T’ stands for ‘Tubular.’

The number coming after the letter ‘T’ indicates the thickness or diameter of the particular tube in eighths of an inch.

• T8 = (8 x 1/8 of an inch) = 1 inch or 26 mm in diameter

• T5 = (5 x 1/8 of an inch) = 5/8 inch or 16 mm in diameter

• T8 LED• It uses about 65% less electricity.

• It has a longer lifetime (approximately 50,000 hours).

• It lights on instantly.

• It has no mercury content and is safe for the environment.

LINEAR FLUORESCENT TUBE (T8) T8 LED TUBE

LIgHTIng

6

• Turn the lights off when you leave a room.

• Make use of natural light by opening curtains and blinds during the day.

• Concentrate light where it is actually needed and reduce background light levels. This strategy is called task lighting.

• Use dimmers to control the level of light in a room, as you often do not need lights on at their full intensity to be comfortable. The dimmer the light, the less electricity used.

• Use motion/occupancy detectors or timers for outside lighting. Using solar-powered lights for outside lighting will increase energy savings.

• Clean light bulbs and fixtures regularly. Dust can block up to 50% of light output.

• Avoid having too many lights controlled by a single switch. This might lead to having more lights on than what you actually need.

WHAT YOU CAN DOLIgHTIng

7

REFR

IGER

ATO

R

8

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Do not put your refrigerator/freezer next to a cooker or in direct sunlight.

• A refrigerator/freezer operates efficiently when ¾ full.

• Set your refrigerator to 5°C and your a freezer to -6°C to -18°C.

• Make sure that air can circulate at the back of the appliance by keeping adequate distance (5cm -7cm) from the wall.

• Never put hot food straight away in the refrigerator. It warms the whole refrigerator; so, let it cool first.

• Cover all liquids and moist food in the refrigerator to prevent them from releasing moisture. Moisture makes the refrigerator works harder.

• Do not leave the refrigerator/freezer door open for longer than you need to.

• Check for gaps in the door seals. Leakage of cold air wastes energy and money.

• Test door seals by closing the door over a piece of paper so that it is half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull out the paper easily, it means that the door is not sealed properly and will be allowing cold air to escape.

• Avoid putting too many items in the refrigerator because they obstruct air circulation, reducing cooling capabilities.

• Unplug the refrigerator/freezer and clean its coils regularly.

• When buying a new refrigerator, choose an energy efficient one.

REFRIgERATOR

9

AIRCONDITIONER

10

WHAT YOU CAN DO

AIRCONDITIONER

• Choose the right size of air conditioner .

• A bigger unit is not necessarily better. An oversized air conditioner will cycle on and off frequently and is less efficient. An air conditioner of the right size running for longer periods of time will actually use less energy and save you money.

• A space of 1m2 requires approximately a cooling capacity of 680 Btu/h.

• Close windows and doors when the unit is running.

• Turn off the air conditioner in an unoccupied space.

• Set the air conditioner to a temperature of 24°C to 26°C.

• Lowering the temperature by 1°C (for example to 23°C) increases the energy consumption by 10%.

• Set the timer of the air conditioner to avoid the unit to run unnecessarily.

• Install the outdoor unit away from direct sunlight.

• Keep the room as cool as possible by drawing the curtains or blinds to block out the sun.

• Clean the air filter of the indoor unit every month. A dirty air filter makes the air conditioner work harder and uses more electricity.

• Carry out maintenance annually by a qualified technician.

• Look for higher EER if you consider replacing your old unit. Higher EER is more energy efficient.

• Use ceiling fans instead of air conditioners when possible. Fans do not remove heat from the room, but can provide a cooling effect by circulating the air. Moreover, they use less electricity.

The cooling capacity is normally expressed in British Thermal Units per hour (Btu/h).

The Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) indicates the cooling capacity (Btu/h)/power (watts).

AIR COnDITIOnER

11

12

WHAT YOU CAN DO

washing machine

• Wash full loads; one full load uses less energy than two half loads

• Wash your clothes in cold water using cold-water detergents whenever possible. 80% of energy is used for heating the water during a wash.

• Soak heavily soiled items before washing. Repeating a wash because of stubborn stains will increase energy consumption.

• Use warm water when cold water will not do the job. Instead of washing clothes at 400C, do the washing at 300C and thus reduce electricity consumption by 40%.

• Use hot water from solar water heater to save on your electricity bill.

• Do not overload your appliance to avoid damage to the motor.

• When buying a new washing machine, choose an energy efficient one.

dryer

• Do not put dripping wet clothes into the dryer - it will have to work harder and will use more energy. Wring out the clothes or spin them in the washing machine at highest speed first.

• Clean the filter before every load to ensure that it is free from fluff. A clogged filter can increase energy consumption up to 30%; the motor will have to work harder to push the air through the dryer and your clothes will take longer to dry.

• Dry full loads.

• Sort your clothes by thickness - if possible, dry the thin, quick-drying items in one load and thicker items such as towels in another.

• Start your second load to dry as soon as the first one is finished. The dryer will therefore still be warm and you will save energy.

• Do not over-dry your clothes. If your machine has a moisture sensor, use it.

• Use the ‘cool down’ cycle. The heat is turned off for the last few minutes while drying continues as cool air is blown through tumbling clothes.

• When buying a new tumble dryer, choose an energy efficient one.

Consider air drying by hanging clothes on clothesline or rack.

LAUnDRY

13

IRO

N

14

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Check and wipe the face of your iron. Its clean and smooth surface will ensure quicker and easier ironing.

• Iron large batches of clothing at one time.

• Plan your ironing so that you do not have to keep changing the temperature. Start with clothes requiring the lowest setting and end with clothes requiring the highest setting.

• Do not iron wet clothes.

• Use a steam iron for easier and faster ironing.

An iron uses the equivalent of 30 bulbs of 40 W.

IROn

15

16

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Run your dishwasher only when it is full.

• Do not rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Just scrape off the excess food and let the dishwasher do the job.

• Clean the filter between washes.

• Select an energy-saving wash cycle. For a lightly soiled load, a ‘Light wash’ cycle will save energy by using less water and operating for a shorter period of time.

• Select the no-heat drying cycle (also called ‘air drying’). For even more savings, you can turn off the dishwasher once the drying cycle starts, and open it to let the dishes dry naturally.

• When buying a new dishwasher, choose an energy efficient one.

DISHWASHER

1717

COOKING

18

electric cooker

• Cook in batches and as much as possible in the oven in one go to make sure that all the space and heat are being used.

• Do not open the oven door too often to check your food. Each time you open the door, the temperature may drop by 250C. Watch the timer instead.

• Occasionally, check the seal on your oven door for cracks or tears. A clean seal will prevent heat to escape.

• Use correct cookware. Use flat bottomed pans that make full contact with the electric plates.

• Turn off the electric oven or hot plate a few minutes before the food is ready. The heating element will stay hot long enough to finish the cooking without using more electricity.

• Choose a pan that matches the size of the hot plate. If the diameter of the pan is much smaller, around 30% of energy will be lost.

gas cooker

• Choose the right size of burner.

• Make sure the gas flame only heats the bottom of the pan. This will help save gas and also stop the handle from getting hot and burning your hand.

• A blue flame means the gas stove is operating efficiently. A yellowish flame is an indicator that the burner needs cleaning.

• Bring items taken out of the refrigerator (like vegetables, milk etc) to room temperature before placing on the gas stove for heating.

• Always put lids on pans to preserve the heat. Without a lid , 2/3 of energy is lost.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Induction plates use around 40% less electricity than electric plates.

COOKIng

19

MICROWAVE

20

• Defrost frozen food in the refrigerator overnight rather than in the microwave.

• Use the microwave oven to reheat food. It is more efficient than the hob or oven.

• Use the microwave oven as much as possible. It uses 75% less electricity than the electric oven.

• Keep the inside surface clean to allow more efficient microwave cooking.

• When buying a new microwave oven, choose an energy efficient one.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

MICROWAVE

21

SWITCH OFF APPLIANCES ON THE MAIN SWITCH BOARD, INSTEAD OF USING A REMOTE CONTROL TO SWITCH OFF THEIR DISPLAY COMPLETELY.

TO SAVE EnERgY

STANDBY POWER

Standby power is drawn by an appliance when it is not in operation but still connected to the mains.

Standby power is used in appliances to light their LED displays or to keep them into sleep mode, as they wait for remote control signals to start operating.

22

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST ?

The table below gives you an idea of how much it will cost you for 1 year to use your TV for 4 hours and leaving it in standby mode for the remaining 20 hours per day.

4 HOURS USE DAILY STANDBY fOR REMAINING 20 HOURS

ELECTRICITY 146 kWh/YEAR 37 kWh/YEAR

COST Rs 898 Rs 228

ENERGY CONSUMPTION Of APPLIANCES ON ‘STANDBY’

APPLIANCES STANDBY POWER (WATTS)

TV 5

DVD 3

HiFi 3

Air Conditioner 1.5

Computer 3

Printer 5

Microwave 2.7

Mobile Charger 0.5

23

Use a power strip with multiple switches so that you can turn off devices (such as printer, scanner, speakers...)

simultaneously which are on stand by.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

standby power

• Turn off appliances at the socket and not just with the remote control.

• Unplug the battery charger as soon as the device is fully charged and when the charger is not in use.

• Switch computers/laptops to sleep mode when leaving for short periods of time but switch them off completely for extended periods of time (e.g. more than one hour).

• Do not use screen savers because they use more energy than if you allow the monitor to dim. Instead, turn off the monitor if you are away for a short period of time.

Use a Smart power strip which will automatically detect appliances in standby mode and will turn them off.

A

B

Power strip with multiple switches

Smart power strip

24

ENERGY LABEL

The energy label provides information that is useful when choosing a new appliance. The more energy efficient an appliance is, the less energy it consumes.

Energy

More efficent

Energy consumptionkWh/Year

Rated capacity (Watts)

Product type

A A

X

Y

BCDE

Less efficient

REAL COST Of AN APPLIANCEWhen shopping for new appliances, you need to consider two price tags:

Rs. 0000.00

Rs. 0000. 00

PURCHASE PRICE LIFETIME ENERGY COST

Everyone is familiar with the first price tag: the sticker price, or the cost of buying an appliance. The second price tag is the appliance’s lifetime energy (operating) cost.

Energy-efficient appliances cost slightly more at purchase than less efficient ones. But when you calculate the second price tag, these appliances save you money by reducing your energy costs over their lifetime.

PURCHASE PRICE + LIfETIME ENERGY COST = REAL COST

Example of an energy label

MAKE THE WISE CHOICE

Always choose an energy efficient appliance.

25

is it worth paying a little more for an appliance that is more energy efficient?

Calculating the second price tag is easy. Simply multiply the appliance’s estimated annual energy consumption (from energy label) by your CEB tariff of electricity to quickly estimate how much it will cost to operate the appliance for one year:

Example:

APPLIANCEPURCHASE PRICE (Rs)

YEARLY ENERGY CONSUMPTION

(kWh)

YEARLY ENERGY COST (Rs)

ESTIMATED LIFETIME

REAL COST(Rs)

Class A refrigerator 20,000 300 1,845 10 years 38,450

Class D refrigerator 16,000 450 2,745 10 years 43,450

Deciding to buy the more energy-efficient Class A refrigerator over the lower purchase priced Class D refrigerator will save you money over the refrigerator’s lifetime.

CEB tariff (Rs/kWh) Annual electricity cost

(Rs/year)

Energy label rating(kWh/year)

or(kilowatts x hours of

operation for one year)

Lifetime energy costAppliance lifetime

(years)Annual electricity cost (Rs/year)

Now, multiply your annual electricity cost by the estimated lifetime of your appliance:

X =

X =

26

UNDERSTANDING YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL

A B

C

D

The energy meter of each customer is normally read on a monthly basis.

The amount claimed on an electricity bill corresponds to the energy consumed for a billing period (refer to A).

27

For example:

DATE 21.05.2015 19.06.2015

READINGS 34,236 34,031

The energy consumption for a billing period (refer to B) is the difference in the monthly readings.

For example, the energy consumption for the billing period 21 May 2015 to 19 June 2015 is calculated as follows:

= (34,031 – 34,236) = 205 kWh.

The energy consumed is then split into segments (refer to table at the back of your electricity bill) and the amount corresponding to each segment is calculated according to the respective tariff (refer to C).

SEGMENTS (kWh) PRICE/kWh AMOUNT (Rs)

25 3.16 79

25 4.38 109.5

25 4.74 118.5

25 5.45 136.25

100 6.15 615

5 7.02 35.1

205 - 1093

The addition of other charges such as TV license fee and meter rental gives the final amount (refer to D)

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TRACK YOUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION

By putting into practice the various tips included in this guidebook, you will save on your electricity bill and you will, at the same time, contribute to reduce the emission of greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide).

Your electricity bill will help you to determine the amount of savings.

Compare your monthly energy consumption using the table below.

For example :

MONTH BILLING PERIOD ENERGY

CONSUMPTION (kWh)

DIFFERENCE IN READINGS BETWEEN TWO CONSECUTIVE

PERIODS

REMARKS

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

29

Adopt the goodenergy-saving habits.

SAVEENERGY AND MONEY

30

Contact:

Corporate Office: P.O. Box 134, Rue du Savoir, Cybercity, Ebène, Mauritius

Tel: (+230) 404 2000 Fax: (+230) 454 7630/7632 Email: ceb@intnet.mu

Web: ceb.intnet.mu