Energy conservation plays a key role in preventing environmental disaster. The problem of reasonable use of energy is one of the most pressing problems of humanity. The modern economy is based on the use of fossil energy resources, the reserves of which are depleted without being renewed. Modern methods of energy production cause irreparable damage to nature and humans. The use of non-renewable energy sources is exacerbating already noticeable global climate change. Something needs to be done now to prevent environmental disaster. Efficient use of energy is the key to successfully solving this problem!

The easiest way to reduce environmental pollution is to conserve energy, or in other words, use energy more wisely. In a word, this is called “energy saving”. All of humanity and each individual should save energy. By using less fossil fuels for energy, we reduce the amount of harmful emissions into the atmosphere. The saved energy can be used instead of newly produced energy, and thereby also reduce environmental pollution. In addition, energy saving is economically beneficial. Measures to save energy resources are 2.5–3 times cheaper than producing and delivering to consumers the same amount of newly obtained energy.

Heating

With saving thermal energy, things are somewhat more complicated than with electrical energy. The consumer is less concerned about this, because saving heat cannot provide direct benefits. Payment for “thermal” utilities is simply divided equally among all consumers. However, it is worth knowing that saving any energy resource reduces its overall consumption and overall costs. This is why it is so important to restructure your lifestyle towards a truly sustainable path. In addition, sooner or later, the situation will change and the payment for heat energy will be calculated according to the meter readings, and it will be much easier for those who learn to save earlier.

Of all energy consumed, the lion's share - 60-80% - goes to space heating and hot water supply. Therefore, issues of reducing heat loss in our apartments are extremely important. In winter, what worries us most is the lack of heat in the house. The reason here is not so much poor heating as our own neglectful attitude. And more often than not, we do not eliminate all possible heat leaks, but turn on powerful heaters, putting up with the costs of “electric” heating and enduring dim light due to network congestion.

What can be done? First of all, it is necessary to prepare the heating system - the radiators must be clean both inside and outside.

Covering heating appliances with decorative slabs, panels and even curtains reduces heat transfer by 10-12%.

Painting radiators with oil paints reduces heat transfer by 8-13%.

Batteries painted in a dark color work with greater heat transfer: a smooth dark surface releases 5-10% more heat.

By installing a heat-reflecting screen behind the heating generator (at home - a sheet of plywood covered with aluminum foil), you can increase the temperature in the apartment by at least one degree.

And most importantly, the house must be insulated. 40-50% of heat is lost through window openings, 20-30% through external walls, and more than 20% through basement and attic floors.

With the help of simple measures, you can insulate the windows and doors in your apartment. If everything is done correctly, you can expect a temperature increase of 4-5 degrees.

In addition to economic considerations, let's not forget about the environmental reasons for energy saving. Ultimately, they determine the future of our world. And now, in other words, we live as if we have one more planet left.

Place to be insulated Method of insulation (traditional) Modern method of insulation % efficiency

Walls Install a solid bookcase or Wood panels, brick; 15 -20%

furniture wall, hang a carpet, finish with plasterboard, additional insulation of external walls with foam plastic, mineral wool,

Windows Fill all the cracks with foam rubber and cotton wool on top. Double-glazed windows. Groove technologies. Silicone insulation between 20-25%

cover with strips of fabric or paper with glass

Floors Wood, carpets Mineral wool in the form of a flexible mat, hydrophobic foam or 20-25%

polystyrene with a thickness of 50 mm in combination with roofing felt or glass insulation

Heating effect Open curtains in rooms where there is light Install a 10-15% reflective layer on the wall behind the heating radiators

sun heat material (isofol, foil plastic or penofol)

Roof Ruberoid, Mineral wool in the form of a flexible mat, hydrophobic foam or 20-25%

Attic space polystyrene with a thickness of 50 mm in combination with roofing felt or

(air gap) glass insulation

Electric Energy

But we pay for electricity not according to the standard, but according to the meter readings. Therefore, this is where direct and immediate cost savings can be realized. Electricity costs can be reduced by 50-80% if you take this issue seriously, and 34% of this amount without harm to the user.

At the household level, we can also contribute to reducing emissions. By reviewing your habits and behavior, you can significantly reduce your energy consumption.

It is known that the longer the service life of a household electrical appliance, the better it is for the environment. It should be noted that modern household appliances consume much less electricity than those produced even 5 years ago - global trends are emerging that Russian enterprises cannot ignore either. Labeling, which is mandatory for products of mass household use, will help you choose the most economical equipment. It should be noted that there is a certain “danger” in using some devices. These include refrigerators running on freon, which, being a greenhouse gas, destroys the ozone layer for more than a hundred years.

And now more about household appliances.

Table 1 “Energy consumption of household electrical appliances”

Electrical appliance Consumption kWh per year* CO2 emissions** (kg)

Toaster (1000 W; 1 hour per week) 47 24

VCR (standby) 61 31

Vacuum cleaner (1400 W; 1 hour per week) 73 37

Iron (1500 W; 1 hour per week) 78 40

Electric grill (1500 W; 1 hour per week) 78 40

Microwave (1400 W; 1.5 hours per week) 109 56

Computer (110 W; 20 hours per week) 114 58

Electric kettle (2000 W; 15 min per day) 182 93

Coffee maker (800 W; 4.5 hours per week) 187 95

TV (95 W; 40 hours per week) 198 101

Chandelier (3 bulbs 60 W; 4 hours a day) 263 134

Automatic washing machine (2150 W; 3 hours per week) 281 143

Two-chamber refrigerator 494 252

Electric stove (2000 W; 1.5 hours per day) 1092 557

Electric heater (2000 W; 7 hours a day; 5 months) 1960 1000

*annual consumption is calculated as follows: the power of the device is multiplied by the operating time per week and the number of weeks in a year

**determined at the rate of 0.51 kg CO2/kWh

What can be done? You can save energy by using a refrigerator in this original way. When the temperature outside drops below 0 degrees, take two plastic bottles, put a piece of foam rubber in each of them, fill them with water to about 0.8 volumes, screw the lid tightly, and place the bottles outside the window or on the balcony. After the water freezes, place one bottle in the refrigerator. By absorbing heat, it will maintain the temperature in the refrigerator below +4 degrees for 6-12 hours, so by changing bottles, you can ensure a temperature in the refrigerator that will allow you not to turn it on as long as the temperature outside is below freezing. At the same time, about 50% of the energy consumed by the refrigerator will be saved over the year.

A refrigerator with class “A” is 20% more economical than with class “B”, and almost twice as economical as with class “C”.

Try to adhere to the temperature recommended by the manufacturer. When the thermostat switches by 1 degree towards a lower temperature, energy consumption increases on average by 8%.

Energy-saving models are more expensive, such as devices marked “A”, but their use allows you to save 2/3 of the energy consumed, so they pay for themselves in 2-3 years, and only later they begin to “work for the pockets” of their owners.

Lighting

The conditions for economical use of lighting are the correct selection and installation of lighting equipment in accordance with needs. For general lighting, powerful lamps are usually used, which put a dangerous load on the network. Therefore, it is better to use a local type of lighting, and in some cases general lighting is not suitable at all - it leads to the formation of shadows when working at a desk, etc. , and local lighting provides better illumination without unwanted shadows.

What can be done? The interior plays a significant role in the illumination of a room.

A smooth white wall reflects more than 80% of the light directed at it, while a dark green wall reflects only 15%.

Dust in lamps and lampshades reduces illumination by 10-15%.

An energy efficient 20W bulb produces the same amount of light as a regular 100W filament bulb. In addition, an incandescent lamp converts 6-8% of its energy into light (the rest turns into heat), while a fluorescent lamp converts more than 30%.

Due to the spectral features, the luminous efficiency of LN is extremely low (10-15 lm/W). 85-90% of the electricity that “powers” ​​the filament is converted not into light, but into heat, in other words, incandescent lamps are more like heaters than illuminators.

From the point of view of fire and explosion safety, protection against electric shock, LNs are much inferior to the so-called “cold” lamps. A red-hot LP bulb is characterized by an increased explosion hazard, and the thermal principle of radiation often leads to heating of cartridges and electrical wiring, to network overloads, accidents and fires.

There seems to be one serious drawback of energy-saving lamps - the high price disappears with the following calculations:

Table 2 “Calculation of energy savings and monetary costs when using different types of lamps (assuming that the lamp is on 6 hours a day)”

Type of lamp Service life Electricity costs

(time 12000 hours)

Incandescent lamp 100W 1000 hours; 1000:6=166 100 W=0.1 kW

(about six months) 0.1 kW*12000 hours*1.20 kW*h=144 rubles

Fluorescent lamp 20W 12000 hours; 12000:6=2000 days (about 5.5 years) 20 W=0.02 kW

0.02 kW*12000 hours*1.20 kW*h=288

So, over 6 years we use 12 incandescent lamps (12 * 10 rubles = 120) or one compact fluorescent lamp (80-200 rubles). cash expenses for half a year will be:

144+120 rubles=264 (in the case of an incandescent lamp) or

288+200 rubles=488 (in the case of fluorescent).

But we have more than one light bulb in our apartments!

Table 3 “Weekly meter readings”

family Meter readings and difference in readings total average Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 1 54600 - 54610 10 54624 14 54644 20 54657 13 54667 10 54688 21 88 14.6 2 6312 - 6318 6.5 6325 6.4 6333 8 6337 4 6345 8 6351 6.3 39.2 6.5 3 4134 - 4142 8 4144 2 4147 3 4151 4 4158 7 4164 6 30 5 4 8280 - 8287 7 8292 5 8299 7 8306 7 8311 5 8319 8 39 6.5 5 6300 - 6320 20 6332 12 6346 14 6352 6 6360 8 6369 9 69 11.5 6 6370 - 6390 20 6402 12 6406 14 6422 6 6430 8 6439 9 69 11.5

Bottom Line

On average, a typical family consumes 9.3 kWh of energy per week. By resorting to simple methods for saving energy (as mentioned above: with simple measures, electricity costs can be reduced by 50-80%, and 34% of this amount without harm to the user), we will reduce the consumption of one family by 30%, we get: 6 .5 kWh of energy. How many such weeks are there in a year? – 53. By saving, consumption per year will be 344.5 kWh, while engaging in unnecessary waste – 492.9 kWh.

The calorific value of coal (this is the fuel used to generate energy in Vladivostok) is 3465 kcal/kg

To generate 1000 kWh of energy, 0.42 tons of standard fuel are consumed

The loss of 100 kWh of energy with all losses corresponds to 79.073 tons of coal

When burning one ton of coal, 2.76 tons of CO2 are generated

Knowing that one family can save 148.4 kWh of energy per year, we can calculate how much standard fuel may not be consumed: 117 tons of coal. Knowing how much coal is formed from one ton, we get 322.92 tons of CO2. And we have several hundred thousand such families in Vladivostok!

It is enough to keep the apartment clean to save yourself from the need to screw in additional light bulbs, or replace existing ones with more powerful ones. Naturally, in order to achieve acceptable levels of illumination using LNs, it is necessary to increase the power of the lamps themselves or their number, both of which lead to an increase in energy consumption.

Transport

The use of vehicles is directly related to both the saving of non-renewable resources - petroleum products, and the worsening of environmental problems, including an increase in greenhouse gases and the release of heavy metals into the atmosphere. You can reduce CO2 emissions and start saving petroleum products by increasing the population’s interest in using public transport. This, in turn, can be achieved by prioritizing public transport over private transport. And this must be achieved in contrast to the current policy: as fuel prices rise, travel costs rise.

Other ways to save energy

Today, disposable things, under the influence of the “Western” consumption model, have firmly entered our lives. Today, the volume of packaging is growing catastrophically. Having served their rather short term, disposable items are thrown away. Landfills are choking, a real garbage crisis has arrived. It turns out that using disposable tableware and packaging is our unjustified and extremely environmentally hazardous consumer habit, and besides, it’s an extra cost for our pockets. Surprisingly, but true, we sometimes pay more for packaging than for its contents. The question is, what are we actually buying?

Conclusion: Sustainable consumption requires new ethics and a new model of life, fundamental changes in everyone's behavior and habits. It requires us to learn to live with respect for nature and to realize that our livelihoods are limited by the limitations of natural resources.

In an effort to improve living standards and reduce the negative impact of energy consumption on the environment, it is necessary to use technical solutions that allow efficient use of energy, organize our daily lives and the life of the entire society in accordance with the norms and principles of sustainable development.

17 ways to save energy at home

This article was written for those who have really decided to take a set of measures to save energy and, consequently, reduce the expenses of the family budget.

Measures that do not require financial costs.

Not everyone is an electrician by profession, and it is quite difficult to figure out how much energy an electrical appliance consumes. Therefore, we offer you a simple but quite effective method.

Many people have their electricity meter installed in such a way that its display can be seen several times a day. Your task is to visually record the load generated by the electric meter (the rotation of the disk - the faster it is, the higher the load; the frequency of the blinking light also indicates the magnitude of the load). At the same time, it is necessary to determine which electrical appliances are working. By performing a similar operation several times a day, you can easily determine the most energy-intensive equipment, as well as peak moments when the load on the electrical network is highest. And having already analyzed the situation, decide how, and most importantly, what you can save on. (1)

When leaving, turn off the lights - a rule known since childhood.(2)

Turn off electrical appliances that remain in standby mode for a long time.(3)

Activate the automatic sleep mode feature on your computer (set the time interval at your discretion).(4)

When washing, load the washing machine with the amount of laundry specified in the instruction manual.(5)

Cleaning your vacuum cleaner's dust container more often will not only save energy, but also extend its service life.(6)

Use a refrigerator to cool below room temperature (room temperature is perfectly cooled in a room or in a container of cool water). You should also install the refrigerator correctly, make indentations from the walls and not place heating devices nearby.(7)

When cooking on an electric stove, use those burners that are equal in diameter to the cookware you are using (smaller if possible). After boiling, it is necessary to reduce the load.(8)

Using an electric kettle, boil the amount of water that is needed (no lessmin).(9)

Technical modernization.

If you have old wiring, replace it; this will not only reduce energy losses, but also increase fire safety. (9)

Replacing incandescent lamps with energy-saving (fluorescent) or LED lamps. Installation of spotlights.(10)

Consider adjusting the light level.(11)

Do not install too bright or too dim lighting sources, create comfortable conditions.(12)

Installation of motion detectors in places where people temporarily stay (corridors, stairs, etc.) (13)

If there is street lighting, it must be equipped with a photo relay.(14)

When buying new equipment, pay special attention to its power, as well as its energy efficiency class. A thoughtless purchase can cost the family budget dearly.(15)

Monitor the condition of the electric stove burners; in case of damage or unsatisfactory operation, they should be replaced.(16)

If you have electric heating, do not rush to replace it, the best option is comprehensive insulation of the building, possibly with the use of thermal imaging inspection.(17)

In the methods we rearranged to save electricity, we specifically did not indicate approximate figures. Since each of them gives its own individual result for a specific user.

The text of the work is posted without images and formulas.
The full version of the work is available in the "Work Files" tab in PDF format

Introduction

Only there the people are rich,

Where energy is spared

Where everything is calculated

And everyone knows the score.

Energy conservation plays a key role in preventing environmental disaster. The problem of reasonable use of energy is one of the most pressing problems of humanity. The modern economy is based on the use of energy resources, the reserves of which are depleted and cannot be renewed.

Every family has some impact on the environment. It is as if she is connected to a single life support system. Through the channels of this system - electrical and heating networks, water supply, gas pipelines, through trade, household, utility, supply organizations and enterprises, we receive everything that is necessary for the normal maintenance of a home. And my family is no exception. If every person takes care of the use of natural resources, saves energy, water, and reduces the use of disposable packaging materials, they will thereby help prevent a worldwide environmental catastrophe. 1

Using my family as an example, I decided to conduct a study on saving energy consumption at home. My project helped me consciously move towards resource conservation in the house, save money on paying for consumed resources, improve my life, and achieve greater comfort.

The problem of energy saving is relevant not only for my family, school, region, country, but also for the whole world. Saving energy makes it possible to reduce your own costs and have a smaller impact on the environment. It helps to create a culture of energy saving - this is, first of all, training in practical actions, in particular the rational consumption of electricity, the use of new technologies and the use of energy-efficient household appliances and electric lamps.

Objective of the project: Learn to use electricity in everyday life with maximum benefit and minimum costs.

Project objectives:

Talk about the use of electricity in everyday life, why you need to save it and what methods can be used to do this.

In the research part of the project, fill out the energy passport of the apartment, measure and analyze power consumption.

Determine measures to reduce energy costs.

The subject of the research is energy saving in everyday life.

Research hypothesis: I can assume that my family can make its feasible contribution to energy saving, and therefore save the planet Earth.

Main part

1. Energy saving at home

What do we mean by energy saving? Energy saving is a set of measures to conserve and rationally use electricity and heat. Energy conservation has become one of the priority tasks of humans due to the shortage of basic energy resources, the increasing cost of their production, as well as due to global environmental problems. 2

Every year, the production of fuel and energy costs more and more to a person, while people are beginning to clearly realize that the senseless waste of energy and, in particular, electricity or the inept use of energy devices is not only immoral, but also hits the pocketbook, and the further, the more severely .

Therefore, the main principle of a modern home is energy saving. Unfortunately, we rarely think about how and how much energy we spend to solve specific problems. We often use too much energy where we could save it.

November 23, 2009 D.A. Medvedev signed Federal Law No. 261-FZ “On energy saving and increasing energy efficiency and on introducing amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation.”

From January 1, 2011, in accordance with this law, a complete ban on the circulation of incandescent lamps with a power above 100 W was introduced in Russia. And since 2014, a complete ban on the circulation of lamps with a power above 25 W has been introduced.

1. Why save energy

You need to save energy in order to reduce your harmful impact on the environment. Unfortunately, no one can achieve energy savings just by pressing a button or switch. Of course, you can completely turn off the electricity supply, but how long can a person live in a de-energized apartment? This is unlikely to suit anyone. Therefore, the question of how to save energy at home is of great concern to everyone, including me. But energy costs are also rising for another reason - people have more and more electrical appliances in their apartments and houses. Accordingly, the load on transformer substations increases, which more often have to be repaired or more powerful ones installed. Energy saving is the cheapest and most environmentally friendly “source” of energy. This is an approach to saving energy based on the use of energy-saving technologies that are designed to reduce energy losses.

1. Ways to save energy

Every family is fully capable of reducing household electricity consumption by almost half without significant damage to human comfort if they learn a number of useful rules and systematically implement them. The most effective method is to replace incandescent lamps with energy-saving fluorescent or LED lamps.

Equipment that is in standby mode and not used for a long time must be turned off (computer, TV, charger, microwave oven, etc.). It is advisable to use the washing machine at maximum load.

You need to make it a rule to turn off the lamp or chandelier when leaving the room for a long time. Boil only the required volume of water in the electric kettle and descale it regularly.

Clean the dust container of your vacuum cleaner more often. Turn on the air conditioner with the windows and doors tightly closed.

If you are away for a long time or are leaving, turn off all electrical appliances except the refrigerator.

Desks and computers should be positioned to make the most of natural light.

I think that if you follow the developed energy saving rules for a certain time, then the invented ways to save will become a habit for the family. That’s why there’s an energy saving reminder on the refrigerator, and all the switches have warning signs that my sister and I drew for our house (Appendix 1).

Research part

The number of electrical appliances in our home is constantly increasing, and so are our electricity bills. And this is not surprising, because 6 other people live in the house with me. A very pressing question for us is: how to save energy in our home? And I started my experiments. The first thing I did was create an energy passport for my home. Secondly, I looked at how much electricity we spend when we live an ordinary life and do not particularly monitor energy savings. And thirdly, I set a condition at home for two weeks: to save money and not waste electrical energy. After analyzing all the data, I suggested that my dad replace the lamps in some rooms of our house with energy-saving ones.

1. Energy passport of my home

I analyzed the power consumption in the house, and then compiled a table of electrical household appliances with the indicated power and a table of lighting lamps for all rooms of the house.

Table of electrical household appliances most commonly used in our home:

	Device name	Power consumption, W
	Washing machine
	Fridge
	Microwave
	Food processor
	Grill oven
	TV 1
	TV 2
	TV 3

Table of lighting lamps for all rooms of our house (Appendix 1):

Type of room	Lamp type		Power, W
Living room	Ceiling	LED	9 W x 2=18 W
	Ceiling	LED	11 W x 12=132 W
	Ceiling	LED	9 W x 5=45 W
	Lamp	Energy saving	11 W x 1=11 W
Pantry		Energy saving	11 W x 1=11 W
Room 1		Energy saving	11 W x 3=33 W
	Desk lamp	Energy saving	11 W x 2=22 W
Room 2	Ceiling	LED	11 W x 4=44 W 9 W x 1=9 W
Room 3		Luminescent	36 W x 1=36 W
Room 4		Energy saving	11 W x 3=33 W
	Lamp	Luminescent	36 W x 1=36 W

The table shows that among household appliances, the washing machine has the highest energy consumption, followed by a vacuum cleaner and a hair dryer, although the latter is not used so often.

1. Power consumption measurement and analysis

In our rural areas, the adopted tariff is: 1 kW/h - 3 rubles. 53 kopecks.

Thus, the table shows that in two weeks of economical electricity consumption, our family received 162 rubles 38 kopecks.

I have seen in practice that electricity is wasted if appliances are plugged in but not used, or if appliances are in standby mode.

During the work, my hypothesis was confirmed. We found ways to save electricity, however, it was difficult for family members to save light all the time, with the exception of the older generation (grandparents). That is why at this stage energy saving is not a habit for our family, but for now only a condition of an experiment.

I think that if you follow the developed energy saving rules for a certain time, then the invented ways to save will become a habit for our family.

1. Saving the family budget

I decided to calculate how much energy wasted if appliances were turned on but not in use. Knowing the power of the devices, I was able to calculate how much electricity is spent when the TVs are on (and we have three of them!) when they are not in use. If TVs are turned on and not used for only 2 hours a day, then they consume 13.8 kWh of energy per month. Over the course of a year, this will amount to 165.6 kW/h, and in some cases this time interval is longer and averages 6 hours, so they consume energy up to 41.4 kW/h, and over the course of a year - 496.8 kW/hour. For a family budget, this ranges from 49 rubles to 146 rubles per month. Per year this will be, respectively, from 585 rubles to 1754 rubles. We decided that this is a significant saving for our large family!

And one more experiment. Measuring energy costs when equipment is in standby mode.

I unplugged the cord from the refrigerator and turned off the light. Appliances remained switched on in standby mode: TVs, washing machine, microwave oven, charger. I observed the meter readings: in 4 minutes the meter disk made one revolution. I made a calculation: 4 minutes -1 revolution, 1 hour - 15 revolutions. If the standby mode is 20 hours per day, then the energy consumption results can be up to 180 kW/hour per year.

Conclusion: the energy audit showed that the total electricity consumption in the apartment per day was slightly more than 8 kW/h, which corresponds to a monthly electricity consumption of about 240-250 kW/h. All calculations were made in the autumn, when the maximum energy consumption occurs due to the short daylight hours. In addition, I found out that electrical appliances that are turned on but not in use, or used in standby mode, consume a large amount of energy. This means that by turning them off, you can reduce energy costs and save your family’s budget.

Conclusion

In the process of preparing the project, I not only studied and analyzed the data obtained as a result of measurements and experiments, but also took the initiative in replacing outdated incandescent lamps with energy-saving lamps, proving their advantages. At the moment, my apartment is fully equipped with LED and energy-saving lamps.

This is the simplest thing that can be done to save energy in a single family; anyone can do it.

Now imagine that we managed to reduce electricity consumption by 100 W. This means that we have saved:

coal - 48 kilograms

oil - 33 liters

gas - 35 cubic meters.

The study showed that if you use household appliances correctly, use energy-saving light bulbs, and do not leave appliances in standby mode, then energy costs in the family can really be reduced and the family budget can be saved.

So, by studying the question of how to save on electricity and putting into practice various methods of saving energy, we also take care of the future generations who will live on our planet.

Bibliography

Danilov N.I., Evplanov A.I., Mikhailov V.Yu., Shchelokov Ya.M. Energy saving: Introduction to the problem. A textbook for students of secondary schools and secondary vocational institutions. - Ekaterinburg: Publishing House “Socrates”, 2001. - 208 p.

Gracheva, E. Energy saving for everyone / E. Gracheva. - Chelyabinsk, OGUP "Energy Saving", 2002. - 112 p.

Energy saving http://www.energosovet.ru/

Ways to save electricity in the house http://jelektro.ru/covety-elektrika/kak_jekonomit_jelektrojenergiju.html

Annex 1

Signal icon for switch

LED lamp

Energy saving lamp

Fluorescent Lamp

Appendix 2

Beginning of the experiment

Counter readings at the end of the experiment

1 Danilov N.I., Evplanov A.I., Mikhailov V.Yu., Shchelokov Ya.M. Energy saving: Introduction to the problem. A textbook for students of secondary schools and secondary vocational institutions. - Ekaterinburg: Publishing House “Socrates”, 2001.

2 Gracheva, E. Energy saving for everyone / E. Gracheva. — Chelyabinsk, OGUP “Energy Saving”, 2002

Saving energy at home is a very pressing issue today. Considering the constant increase in prices for each kilowatt-hour consumed. Electric stoves. Lamps with motion sensors as a switch. Local lighting.

Saving energy at home is a very pressing issue today. Considering the constant increase in prices for each kilowatt-hour consumed. In Soviet times, this problem was not so pressing; prices per kilowatt-hour were cheap due to powerful government support and the policy of limiting the growth of consumer prices in the USSR. As a result, we are accustomed to being wasteful, for example, “burning” light when it is not needed. Much in matters of energy saving is unknown or forgotten to us. That is why there was a need to address this topic. Without pretending to provide a complete presentation of all the ways to save energy in one article, we will dwell on some of the most relevant aspects of this problem for non-specialists.

Note that, of course, you can “save” by simply reducing the use of electrical appliances - eat sandwiches and not use the electric stove, sit in the dark, turn off the refrigerator in winter and store food outside the window or between the frames, drink cold kefir instead of tea, do not do laundry, etc. .d.

We will not consider such “methods of saving”. Let’s look at possible ways to save energy as part of a full life.

What is electricity used for?

Starting to think about how to save on electricity, let’s first understand the structure of our consumption. That is, how much money do we spend monthly on lighting, refrigerator, laundry, electric stoves and kettles, etc. On average, we get the following picture: we spend only 10-15% of the total payment amount on home lighting. The lion's share is consumed by cooking on electric stoves, microwaves and electric kettles - at least 40%. The refrigerator, since it is constantly on, with a relatively small power consumption, nevertheless produces 8-10% of the consumption. The rest goes to washing machine, TV, computer, etc.

Let's start with an electric stove (those with gas stoves can skip this section).

Electric stove

A special feature of cooking on an electric stove, as opposed to a gas stove, is the requirements for cookware. Firstly, dishes (pots, pans, etc.) must have a flat bottom that fits tightly to the burner. And, secondly, the bottom of the pan must completely cover the heating elements of the burner. For this purpose, the stove burners are made of different sizes, or in modern glass-ceramic stoves they are divided into zones. Since in electric stoves with cast iron (black) burners, the dishes are heated by direct contact, the heat transfer and, consequently, the cooking time, which is directly related to electricity consumption, directly depends on the tightness of the cookware to the burner.

Glass ceramic hob

In glass-ceramic stoves, heating is carried out not only by direct contact, but also by infrared radiation from the burner, so glass-ceramics is not so critical to the density of contact between the bottom of the cookware and the burner. But the size of the cookware (the bottom should completely cover the heating elements) plays an important role. If you place small dishes on a large burner, you will spend electricity on heating the environment, which (in the kitchen) does not need it. At the same time, you will further increase the energy consumption of the refrigerator if you have it in the kitchen.

A very important parameter that directly affects energy consumption is the operating time of the burner at maximum settings. The fact is that modern electric stoves have high-power burners (up to 5 kilowatts), so that the initial heating (to boiling) occurs quickly. For the cooking or frying process itself, such power is not needed. If, after boiling water in a saucepan or oil in a frying pan, you do not reduce the heating power, then during cooking you will get streams of boiling water (broth, milk) on the burner (as they say, “the milk has escaped”), or the food will burn on the frying pan.

Carbon deposits on a burner or frying pan are very difficult to clean off later and require a lot of effort. In addition, the burner itself may crack or burst if exposed to water. But the most important thing is that carbon deposits on dishes or burners greatly impair heat transfer, which leads to overheating of the coils and their premature failure, and also significantly increases energy consumption. Hence the conclusion - it is better not to move far from the stove at the first moment of heating the dishes “to a boil”; you need to seize this moment and in time reduce the power of the burner with the regulator, avoiding splashing and overflow.

Secondly, you need to keep the burners and dishes clean, especially the bottom.

There is another important point - when turned off, the burner remains heated for some time, and it takes 3-5 minutes before it cools down. And if you take this into account, you can turn off the burner in advance, 2-5 minutes before the end of cooking. Which will give a certain “portion” of energy savings.

So, when cooking on an electric stove, you need to follow the following rules:

1. The dishes must have a flat and clean (from carbon deposits) bottom;
2. The size of the cookware should correspond to the size of the burner (it is better for the burner to be smaller than the bottom than for the bottom to be smaller than the burner);
3. Reduce the burner power in a timely manner (after boiling);
4. The stove burners must be constantly cleaned of carbon deposits.

It makes more sense to do this immediately after contamination, because it is much easier to clean this way, but later it will be much more difficult.

This is why smart housewives wash the dishes immediately after eating, because washing “later”, when the leftover food has “dried up”, will require much more effort and time.

To clean glass-ceramic hobs, in addition to chemicals, special scrapers with a sharp blade are commercially available.

5. Turn off the burner 2-5 minutes before the end of the cooking or frying process.

All this will allow you to save from 20% to 40% electricity.

Electric kettles

A few words about electric kettles: they need to be descaled regularly, without waiting until the heating element is covered with a thick crust. There are various chemicals available for this purpose (usually with an acid, which converts insoluble calcium salts (scale) into soluble compounds). Scale on the heating element significantly impairs heat transfer, which increases the heating time before boiling and prematurely disables the heater due to overheating. And an increase in time means an increase in energy consumption. Considering that the electrical power of modern kettles is quite significant - 2000 watts, and at a voltage of 220 volts, the current flowing through the heater and wires approaches 10 amperes.

Keep heating elements clean

The general advice is this - more attention (if you want to save electricity) should be paid to heating devices (their condition) since the lion's share of electricity consumption falls on them. And “paying attention” means monitoring the cleanliness of heat transfer surfaces; their cleanliness is the key to good heat transfer and, therefore, faster heating, which saves energy and extends service life.

Washing machine and refrigerator

It would seem that such automatic machines and appliances as a washing machine and a refrigerator are unpromising in terms of saving electricity by their own actions; what can you save on them when they work automatically, according to a program? However, it is better to wash in an automatic machine by filling the tank completely, rather than washing each small item separately - socks, handkerchiefs, etc. That is, wait until enough dirty laundry has accumulated to fill the tank within normal limits; exceeding the loading norm is also not recommended in order to preserve the engine. That is, use your working time with maximum efficiency. Well, as for how to descale the heating element of a washing machine, annoying TV advertising has simply “drilled” it into everyone’s consciousness.

But there is something additional to say about the refrigerator. Everyone knows that the refrigerator does not work constantly, but periodically turns on and off when the desired temperature is reached. With a relatively low power consumption (about 100 - 200 watts, like a powerful light bulb), it is turned on around the clock and due to constant operation, the energy consumption is noticeable. On average (including shutdowns), the refrigerator consumes 30–70 watts per hour. But if you keep the refrigerator door open for a long time, or the rubber door seals are bad, the energy consumption may double. Therefore, the seals must be clean, intact and sufficiently elastic. Otherwise, they need to be replaced.

And also, on the back wall of the refrigerator there is a heat exchanger - a grid of tubes and metal jumpers, like a radiator. Its purpose is to release the heat obtained by cooling the refrigerator chambers to the environment. That is why it is not recommended to place the refrigerator close to the back wall; you need to leave a gap of 10 centimeters there (between the wall and the heat exchanger grille). But few people pay attention to the fact that at least once a month you need to take a vacuum cleaner, move the refrigerator away from the wall and clean the heat exchanger grill from dust. Of which countless quantities accumulate there, whoever doesn’t believe it should move it aside and see for himself.

You just need to clean it very carefully, easily, with a soft dust brush, so as not to accidentally damage the tube. Any microcrack or scratch can cause a leak of refrigerant (freon or isobutane) causing the refrigerator to stop working. It should be noted that an easily evaporating liquid, such as the refrigerant in a refrigerator, has extremely high permeability. Leakage can occur due to the smallest damage, invisible to the eye, such as a microcrack.

Therefore, dust should only be removed with a vacuum cleaner and light touches of the brush, or without touching at all, using a vacuum cleaner tube; it is not recommended to do this manually with a rag in order to avoid damage to the heat exchanger tube. Strange as it may seem, dust on the heat exchanger also increases energy consumption.

Saving on lighting

And finally, let's talk about lighting and possible savings on it. We won’t report platitudes like “you need to turn off the lights if there is no one in the room”; people still forget about it. Some people, to cure forgetfulness, install light switches in the bathroom or toilet with signal LEDs reminding them that the lights are not turned off. Let's say that this works well on the forgetful.

Do “energy-saving” light bulbs save money?

Much has been said about so-called “energy-saving” light bulbs and their use in previous articles (for example, in the article “Light bulbs for suspended ceilings”). Let us only note that for some reason lamps, known since the 30s of the last century under the name “fluorescent or gas-discharge”, are today passed off as new, and in some articles they are called “energy-saving”, although lamps on LEDs and even halogen, especially low-voltage ones. Because they last much longer than gas-discharge ones. With modern gas-discharge systems, in reality, all the savings are “eaten up” by a high price and a low (not advertising, but in reality) service life.

Since LED lamps are not yet so widespread today due to their high prices, it is difficult to say anything about their real service life, although advertising is full of reports about 50,000 and even 100,000 hours of operation without failures. This may be true, but the experience of purchasing Chinese LED flashlights suggests that within a few days some of the flashlights’ LEDs stopped working. Although the battery in them really lasts a very long time, this means real savings are evident.

Therefore, today we can say that the real record holder for service life is the halogen lamp, especially the low-voltage one. Due to the simplicity of the design, it lasts a very long time, unlike gas-discharge ones, and costs several times less.

Maybe you should turn on the sconce?

The issue of saving on lighting depends on the wider use of local lighting. In fact, we know that the illumination of an object from a light source decreases in proportion to the square of the distance. Consequently, local lighting allows you to obtain the same illumination as general illumination at much lower energy costs (due to the use of lamps of lower total power).

It is worth paying attention to the wider use of modern table lamps, sconces, floor lamps for work and reading. Instead of turning on the five-arm chandelier to read a book or mend socks. True, some people psychologically require a lot of light, and they like it when the general lighting is turned on so that the apartment resembles a summer beach. We cannot prohibit such people from doing this, and in the article we give advice that is not at all binding.

Lamps with motion sensors

Recently, lamps with motion sensors have become widespread. Extremely convenient lamps because they turn on and off as moving warm (emitting infrared rays) objects are in the field of view of the sensor. There is no need to fumble around the wall in the dark looking for a switch.

And when you leave the field of view of the sensor, there is no need to remember that when leaving, you need to turn off the light. True, the latter is also a disadvantage: since the sensor turns on only when objects move in its field of view, in the absence of movement, the light turns off. Suppose we installed such a sensor in a room, we walked in - the light turned on, we sat down at the table to read, the body became motionless, and... - the light turned off.

Likewise, if you install such a sensor in the toilet. Everyone can imagine at what moment the light will go out. Perhaps sensors have already appeared that are free of this drawback, but since such systems are not widely used for living rooms or bathrooms with toilets, we can assume that this is precisely because of unforeseen sudden shutdowns.

Nevertheless, such lamps with sensors are simply irreplaceable for illuminating entrances and staircases. Not so long ago, during Soviet times, one could see light bulbs burning in the entrances for days. But then electricity cost a penny, and little attention was paid to it. In the capitalist West, the state did not subsidize prices, they were market prices, as we have now, and in the entrances of apartment buildings there long ago they began installing switches with a fixed switching time, the light stays on for about a minute, then goes out. It was assumed that in a minute a person would be able to climb the stairs to his door, find the keys (where did I put them?) and insert them into the lock. It’s good if he’s young and smart, but if he’s old and forgetful, then he had to fumble along the wall in complete darkness in search of a switch or try to insert a key into a keyhole.

There were many complaints about this topic. They began to make the same switches with adjustable duration of light burning, and still there were people who could not keep up. In this regard, lamps with sensors are an almost ideal solution. And they are not expensive at all these days. Taking into account the round sums under the column “general expenses” in the bills, it would seem that all residents of high-rise buildings had to convert their entrances to such lighting. But no.

There is no end to the work here. Managers say it is difficult to fork out money for such renovations for residents. Apparently the inertia of thinking is taking its toll or the inability to convince residents of practical savings - the costs will quickly pay off. We see such a refurbishment as a good business idea for energetic and persuasive entrepreneurs.

We hope that our article was useful to readers and that they learned something new for themselves.

Saving electricity ultimately leads to two good things: reducing the effects of global warming, and also keeping your savings alive over time. Look around your home or office: every appliance that uses energy can become more energy efficient. Insulating your home and changing your daily habits can help you significantly reduce your energy consumption. Read on to learn how to save on electricity.

Steps

Lighting

1. Choose natural light. Open the curtains and let the sun flood your room! Using natural light during the day can significantly reduce your electricity consumption. This applies to both your time at work and your time at home. Natural light boosts our mood, making you even more willing to open the blinds immediately.

   • Try to organize your workspace so that it receives natural light. Try to turn off table lamps whenever possible. If you don't have enough light, use a low-wattage table lamp.
   • Invest in sheer tulle or blinds to keep your privacy private and allow light to continue to fill the space.

2. Change your light bulbs. You will save a lot of energy if you replace conventional incandescent lamps with new energy-saving lamps or lamps made using LED technology. While conventional incandescent lamps produce light by generating heat, energy-saving lamps conserve electricity better and have a long service life.

   • Energy-saving lamps were the first alternative to incandescent lamps; they use about a quarter of the energy expended by incandescent lamps. They contain a fair amount of mercury, so if such a bulb burns out, it must be disposed of properly.
   • Light bulbs with LED technology have recently appeared on the market. They are more expensive than regular energy-saving lamps, but they last even longer and do not contain mercury.

3. Turn off the lights. This is the easiest way to save energy, and it really works. Start paying attention to how many lights are on in your house at certain times. Consider how many lamps you actually need to use. Make it a habit to turn off the light behind you every time you leave the room.

   • If you want to save even more, try to keep your whole family in one or two rooms at night, instead of turning on lights throughout the house.
   • For maximum energy savings, use candles! This old-fashioned way of lighting at night is effective, romantic and very calming. If you don't feel comfortable using candles all the time, try doing it at least once a week. Be careful with candles if you have children at home, or at least make sure everyone in your family knows how to handle candles.

   Home appliances

   1. Unplug appliances you are not using. Did you know that appliances that are simply plugged in continue to consume electricity even if they are turned off? Even a device such as a coffee maker, simply plugged in, continues to consume energy, despite the fact that the last mug of coffee was drunk quite a long time ago.

      • Turn off your computer and unplug it at the end of the day. Computers use a lot of electricity, so you waste a lot of energy and money when they are connected.
      • Don't leave your TV connected to the network all the time. It may be inconvenient to unplug it every time, but your efforts will pay off.
      • Unplug your sound system and speakers. One of the most wasteful ways to waste electricity is to leave them on when not in use.
      • Don't forget about small appliances such as phone chargers, kitchen appliances, hair dryers, and other things that can consume electricity.

   2. Replace old appliances with new ones - with better energy consumption. Companies didn't worry about energy conservation when they made appliances in the past. New models are aimed at saving energy and reducing electricity bills. If you have an old refrigerator, electric stove or oven, dishwasher, washer, dryer, or other large appliance, consider replacing it.

      • Look at the energy savings rating for new equipment. It will help you estimate how much electricity the device consumes. Most appliances with high energy efficiency ratings cost an order of magnitude more than those with lower ratings, but the difference in price will pay for itself over time in reduced energy bills.
      • If replacing your home appliances isn't a viable option for you, there are many ways to reduce your energy costs.
        • Fill the dishwasher completely instead of washing small amounts of dishes.
        • Do not open the oven while cooking food in it, as you will release heat from the oven and it will take more energy to return to the previous temperature.
        • Don't stand in front of an open refrigerator wondering what to eat. Open and close it as soon as possible. Also, check the tightness of the refrigerator door and replace the rubber bands if necessary.
        • Load your washing machine full instead of washing in small batches.

   3. Reduce your use of household appliances. In the olden days, people did not use home appliances to run their households; try to use only those devices that are really needed. Reducing the use of household appliances can take more time, however, if the whole family takes part in this process, you can manage everything much faster.

      • Most people wash their clothes more often than necessary; try to reduce the number of washes to once a week.
      • String a clothesline on your balcony or backyard and hang wet clothes on it instead of using an electric dryer.
      • Wash dishes by hand (also saving water) instead of using the dishwasher.
      • Try to bake something once a week, during which you can prepare several different dishes. This way you won't have to heat the oven again and again.
      • Get rid of small appliances that you don't really need, such as electric air fresheners. Just open the windows!

   Heating and cooling

   1. Insulate the house. High-quality insulation of windows and doors will help conserve energy well. Insulation will allow your home to keep cool air inside during the summer, as well as keep heat in and cold air out during the winter.

      • Hire someone who can test your home's insulation and determine if it is of sufficient quality. Check the attic, floor, ceiling, walls and basement. You may need new insulation for your home.
      • Tape your home using masking tape and insulation in doorways, windows and around window vents. You can also install double-glazed windows - they retain heat better during winter.