Flick the red switch and everything is fine? It’s not that easy. It is not possible without measuring the consumption. (icon picture)
Image: picture alliance / dpa-tmn
Citizens should save electricity and prefer to pull the plug instead of going to standby, even if it’s inconvenient. Such simple political advice is not very helpful. What really helps: to measure thoroughly at home.
DThere is no need to justify that we should now save electricity and, above all, intervene where energy is being wasted. According to the Saxony Consumer Advice Center, for example, up to 20 percent of a household’s electricity costs are caused by devices being idle in standby mode. However, such bold claims are not necessarily correct, but they point in the direction in which the discussion of energy policy is shifting: It is not political mistakes that have led to the crisis, but the never-ending stream of savings tips is intended to indicate that the citizens themselves to blame for their unreasonable behavior. For the sake of convenience, devices would only be put into standby mode instead of turning them off completely: “Standby eats the work of two power plants.”
A proper discussion about power and standby must be based on facts and measured values. We look at IT equipment and consumer electronics, which make up around a third of a household’s electricity bill. The most important tip is: measure, measure, measure.