Standby to save!

Rochdale families are set to save £63 each year thanks to new rules that will force manufacturers to improve the efficiency of televisions and home electronic devices.

The Government’s 2006 Energy Review found that 8% of British households electricity use – and so 8% of British families electricity bills – is used on devices left on standby and not being used.

Looking at the small red standby light on a TV could mean you are using as much as 75% of the power needed to watch Coronation Street.

Other devices that could be boosting household electricity bills just by being left plugged in include washing machines, amplifiers, electronic keyboards and games consoles.

A new EU law will mean that by 2013 these devices will need to use less than a watt of power while in standby. Currently some appliances can use 10 times that amount when not turned off at the wall.

The new limit is to be phased in to allow manufacturers time to adapt to the change.

Rochdale Euro-MP Chris Davies said, “This is Europe at its best, taking a lead on protecting the environment and on putting money back in the pockets of hard working families. Turning appliances off at the wall is still going to be the best way to save money and reduce electricity use but the new regulation will lead to real savings.”

The European Commission have estimated that this new regulation will cut standby electricity consumption by nearly 75% from current levels by 2020. By 2010 the maximum standby consumption limit will be one watt or two depending on the appliance type and these maximum levels will be sliced in half in 2013.

Across Europe the new regulation is expected to save the equivalent of Denmark’s electricity consumption every year and in Britain it could save £740 million, the equivalent of 2 power stations worth of electricity.