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Designing your own electricity system - part 6 (energy efficiency)

See http://repairyourworld.blogspot.com/2008/12/preventing-load-shedding-power-failures.html for my initial efficiency saving list.

Here are some more notes:

1) Turn off everything at the wall when the appliances are off so that nothing runs on standby.
2) Don't leave computers on when they aren't needed.
3) Try to use laptops where possible.
4) Playstations use a lot of electricity and should not be left on standby.
5) Is your house properly insulated. Are there gaps between windows and doors where hot or cold air can escape?
6) Use CFL lights instead of incandescent (normal) lights. Incandescent lights were designed 100 years ago by Edison and Tesla. CFL globes do contain mercury, but so do fluorescent globes. And the fillings in our teeth. All need to be disposed of properly.
7) If you have an airconditioner on and you need to put on a jersey, then you are wasting resources. Turn up the airconditioner. A minimum setting of 21 degrees should be cold enough.
8) If it is a very hot day, set the airconditioner temperature to less than 10 degrees below the outside temperature. You will feel the cool air and will save a lot of electricity; eg outside air temperature is 35 degrees celsius; minimum air conditioner temperature should be 25 degrees celsius. This excludes data centres and computer rooms and other rooms which need to be kept at a constant and lower temperature than this.

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