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News Release from: uSwitch | Subject: Energy usage
Edited by the Insidemoneytalk Editorial
Team on 28 February 2008
Switch off your gadgets on E-day
Consumers are being asked to switch off unused gadgets and stop wasting electricity on the 27th February - the UK's first national 'E-Day' [1].
Doesn't sound too difficult, does it? Except research from uSwitch.com shows just how big a deal this is really going to be for digitally dependent Brits who just can't help over-charging their gadgets: Midnight charger: over nine million[2] households charge up their gadgets overnight Mobile madness: over 22 million phones[3] needlessly charged up every day
This article was originally published on Insidemoneytalk on 23 Mar 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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Counting charge-up costs: with the average household energy bill now hitting £1,026[6], changing charge-up habits could protect people's pockets as well as the planet uSwitch.com urges consumers to adopt a 'charge-up conscience' and switch off this E-Day (Energy Saving Day), 27 February 2008.
As the UK holds its first national 'E-Day', research from uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service, has found that over a third of UK consumers (35%) regularly charge up their gadgets - such as mobile phones, iPods and PDAs - overnight while they sleep[2], accounting for an estimated 16.6 billion hours[7] of unnecessary energy usage over the course of a year.
Britain's digital dependency has led to consumers requiring gadgets to be in a permanent state of readiness with people unwilling to risk letting their mobile phone, iPod or PDA run out of power.
As a result, they are indulging in damaging habits such as 'comfort charging': Most mobile phones only require two hours charging yet 29% of people[3] admit to charging them for three to 24 hours a day 1.4 million households (5%) charge their phone all day every day[3] - whether needed or not - accounting for approximately 11.3 billion wasted hours of energy each year[8].
And it's not just handheld gadgets - four in ten consumers admit to leaving their PC/laptop (40%) and TV (43%) on constant standby, while over half (53%) never use the OFF button on their digital set top box[5].
Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com, says: "E-Day is a great opportunity for us all to stop and think before we plug-in and power up our gadgets and gismos.
We are increasingly dependent on technology and this is coming at a high cost to ourselves and the planet.
If we become more aware of the electricity we use we can work towards reducing our bills and our impact on the environment.
"Our behaviour has yet to catch up with technology.
We need to understand how to use our gadgets in a responsible and energy efficient way and learn to avoid wasting energy by needlessly charging-up or leaving things on stand-by.
Consumers should also check that their home energy provider meets their household's needs today.
If you signed up to an energy plan years ago it is very unlikely to still be the best one for you now, given how much your energy usage will have changed.
"If E-Day makes everyone in the UK think that little bit more about the electricity they use and how much it costs them then it will have done its job." 1.
Energy Saving Day (E-Day) will be happening between 6pm on Wednesday 27 February 2008 and 6pm on Thursday 28 February.
Over 24 hours, E-Day will be trying to show how even small energy saving measures can be made to add up, and potentially play a part in tackling climate change.
Everyone who wants to take part in E-Day is being asked to leave off household electrical items, which do not need to be on, and to leave these items off for as long as possible.
2.
Onepoll.com research found that 35% of households charge up their gadgets overnight.
35% of 26 million households = 9.1 million.
3.
There were an estimated 63 million phones in UK in 2006 (around 2.5 for each household).
Onepoll.com research found that 34.43% of households charge their mobile phones needlessly (most mobile phones only require two hours charging yet 29% of people admit to charging them for three to 24 hours a day and 5.43% charge their phone all day every day).
34.43% of 26 million households is 8.95 million x 2.5 phones each household = 22.38 million.
4.
Onepoll.com research found that 29% of people admit to charging their mobile for three to 24 hours a day and 5.43% charge their phone all day every day even though most mobile phones only require two hours charging.
14.1 billion wasted hours is calculated as: 29% of 26 million households (source ONS) = 7.54 million x the minimum over charging (1 hour) x 365 days = 2.752 billion~2.8bn.
Then 5.43% of 26 million households = 1.4118 million households (charge their phone all day every day.
Phones require 2 hours' charging which means that 22 hours a day are being wasted) x 22 x 365 days a year so 365 x 22 x 1.4118 = 11.3 billion.
11.3 billion + 2.8 billion = 14.1 billion wasted hours of energy each year.
5.
Onepoll.com research.
6.
Based on a medium user consuming 3,300 kWh electricity and 20,500 kWh gas, on a standard dual fuel plan paying on receipt of bill.
Bill sizes averaged across all suppliers and all regions.
7.
Onepoll.com research found that 35% of households charge up their gadgets overnight.
35% of 26 million households = 9.1 million.
Allowing one gadget per household with the average night as 7 hours and 2 hours as the required amount of charging so 5 hours can be considered as wasted.
5 hours a day x 365 days in the year = 1825 x 9.1 million = 16.6 billion.
8.
Onepoll.com research on behalf of uSwitch.com found that 1.4 million households (5.43%) charge their phone all day every day.
Phones require 2 hours' charging which means that 22 hours a day are being wasted.
365 x 22 x 1.4118 = 11.3 billion wasted hours of energy each year.
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