Renewable Energy Today

With the earth’s supplies of fossil fuels drying up at an alarming rate, and the threat of global warming looming ever larger, it has become imperative that everybody takes steps to reduce their energy use.

However, by taking a few simple steps, we can all help to preserve what remains of our precious oil and gas supplies – and the environment – and save ourselves a bit of money into the bargain:

Don’t use appliances which make inefficient use of the energy that they require. All modern appliances are labelled with energy usage comparison tables that you can use to gauge the relative efficiency of the item in question.

If your computer has a ‘sleep’ mode, use this rather than a screen saver, as this uses far less power. Although it takes a little while longer to get it going again, the amount of energy, and therefore money, that can be saved more than makes up for any perceived loss of productivity.

You can generate your own green electricity by installing solar panels and wind turbines on your property. However this can be an expensive business, so the next best thing to do would be to sign up to a green energy supply contract, with either a dedicated green electricity firm, or one of the eco-electricity schemes offered by mainstream suppliers. Although there is no way of ensuring that all of the energy you use comes from renewable sources, it will encourage companies to invest in green electricity in the future.

Use low-flow shower heads, and insulate your water heater and pipes to reduce heat loss. Don’t turn on your washing machine or dishwasher unless you have a full load, as the same amount of energy is used regardless of the contents of the machine.

A small reduction in your household temperature can mean a big reduction in your household bills. Nobody will notice if you turn down your thermostat by one degree, but you will certainly notice a reduction of around ten percent of your energy bill!

Upgrade your insulation. In particular, much of the heat produced in the home is lost to the atmosphere through the roof, so by insulating your loft you can keep a lot of the heat that you produce from being wasted.

By fixing any holes in your roof or pipes, you can significantly reduce heat loss from your home. Fixing drafts in your windows and doors can also save a lot of heat from getting out.