The price of electricity does not want to take a breather to start the month of March and joins a runaway Euribor and a more expensive shopping basket. Thus begins the third month of the year in which savers continue to see how it is very difficult to balance the accounts to reach the end of the month and more and more are asking how to scratch a few euros. Sara Muñoz, an expert in consumption habits and home saving measures, explains in La Información what to do to reduce the price of electricity that today for regulated rate customers linked to the wholesale market rises to 145.91 euros per megawatt hour (MWh).
In the shopping cart, a simple gesture to end ant expenses can mean savings of up to 150 euros a year. Another simple gesture can lower the electricity bill. Muñoz reflects when ensuring that “with a conscious and responsible use of energy we can manage to reduce our bills”. It refers here to “actions such as washing clothes cold (going from 40º to 30º degrees in the washes), taking advantage of natural light, betting on Led lighting or maintaining a correct temperature (maximum thermostat at 21º in winter and minimum at 26º in summer)”. These measures are essential to find a small relief in the energy bill.
What appliances use more light?
The first appliance to which we must not take our eyes off is the refrigerator because it is the one that spends the most. “It represents between 25-30% of the energy consumption of a standard home. It is an essential appliance in any house, and, in addition, it remains connected 24 hours a day.” But even so, “we have room to save with this appliance, making efficient use of it,” explains the consumer expert. As? Controlling the number of daily openings, not introducing hot food inside and, above all, with correct temperature regulation.
At what temperature does the refrigerator consume less?
“Choosing the right temperature will be key to our energy bill,” Núñez clarifies. The optimal temperature for the refrigerator “would be 5 degrees and for the freezer area -18 degrees. If we are one of those who like to drink cold drinks in summer, it is preferable to use ice cubes, rather than lowering the temperature by 1-2 degrees. temperature of our refrigerator, since for each degree that we decrease, our energy consumption increases by 8%”.
How to save on electricity with the washing machine?
Once again, the chosen temperature helps us save. “Consumers cannot influence the price of electricity, but we can achieve direct savings on our energy bill, using cold wash programs,” he explains. The washing machine is one of the most energy-intensive household appliances, approximately 255 kwh per year. This represents about 12% of the total cost of all electrical appliances and 3% of the total consumption of a home, according to data from REE (Spanish Electrical Network). “That our energy bill for the washing machine is more or less high due to various factors. The temperature we use, an action with which we can achieve direct savings on the bill.”
According to a recent study by Ariel, washing cold (at temperatures of 30 degrees or less) we can achieve direct and real savings on the energy bill of our washing machine of around 60%. “If we consider the consumption of a normal cotton cycle at 20 degrees, with current electricity prices, washing would cost us about 7 cents. If we go to hot wash programs, for example, at 40 degrees, the cost of that same wash would be 19 cents”.
Does the stand by consume electricity?
Even if they are turned off or on standby, many household appliances or electronic devices that we have at home continue to consume energy because they are connected to the current. And this shows in our electric bill. In fact, “phantom consumption represents between 7-11% of the total energy expenditure of an average home (between 60-100 euros)”. We also have to get into the habit of turning off the power strips, completely disconnecting the coffee maker or fryer without oil or not leaving the mobile charger permanently connected to the socket.
