Going Green.Cut Your Energy needs first

Oct 10
07:58

2011

Christopher Wiltshire

Christopher Wiltshire

  • Share this article on Facebook
  • Share this article on Twitter
  • Share this article on Linkedin

Before you go "Green", it's a good idea to cut your energy use first. Follow, these simple steps outlined below and make big savings in your energy consumption. In this article we will walk you through these easy to follow steps that will help you reduce your energy use before you start your "green " energy conversion

mediaimage
With simple instructions available on how to convert to homemade wind power or DIY solar panels for as little as £200,Going Green.Cut Your Energy needs first Articles many people are taking renewable energy more seriously. When choosing to take on a DIY conversion project the first question most people ask is will one windmill or one large solar panel be enough?
There are far too many factors involved to be able to fully answer that question for you here. But one way to start is to ensure your home is energy efficient in the first place. In this article we will walk you through some steps that will help you reduce your energy consumption before you start converting your home.
Reducing Your Energy Needs
One often overlooked step in converting a home to green power is reducing your energy needs in the first place. The average home uses inefficient lighting, power hungry appliances, and poor heating/cooling solutions. An important step to reducing your energy needs is to look at the inefficiencies in your current system.
Consider:
1. Replacing old incandescent bulbs with fluorescents or led bulbs.This can cut your energy use from lighting by 50%
2. Turn off lights when not in use.
3. Replacing old, inefficient, appliances may reduce your energy bills by as much as 30% in itself.
4. Always switch appliances off. Never leave them on standby.This wastes too much energy. You can now buy energy saving gadgets which will do this for you. However, if you start to make it part of your daily routine it will soon become second nature.
5. You should also look at your current heating/cooling solutions. That inefficient electric hot water heater could potentially be replaced by a modern solar water heater.
6.Or maybe your old air conditioner system,could be replaced with a more efficient heat exchanger.
7. Ensure the timer/ programmer on your heating only operates when the house is occupied.
8. Turn individual room, as well as radiator thermostats down one degree. You wont feel the difference, but this alone could save £50/£60 a year on your energy bills.
If you need help choosing more efficient appliances, or just want more energy saving advice, an excellent resource for this in the UK is http://www.housingenergyadvisor.com
Spend some time looking around the site and calculating how much you can reduce your energy consumption in different areas of your home. You don't have to go and spend £1000's replacing everything, but by simply reviewing everything in your home that consumes power, you will most certainly find many ways to cut your energy needs before you start your "Green Energy"conversion..

Also From This Author

Solar Energy Advantages

Solar Energy Advantages

It is safe to say that we are all aware of the current and future energy crisis that we all face. Even if you haven’t taken any great notice of this you can’t fail to notice the increasing energy bills you have been receiving from your provider! Fossil fuels will not last forever, most people would like to do their bit in order to preserve natural energy, some would even like to go to the next step and start using renewable forms of energy,such as Solar Energy.
Is it really possible to Live OFF GRID

Is it really possible to Live OFF GRID

Mention off grid living to most people and they immediately think that it is some altruistic approach by which they would have to give up modern day amenities and luxuries. Nothing is further from the truth. It is perfectly possible to Live off Grid and still keep all of your electronic gadgets and modern day amenities. One simply has to be smarter in their use and learn to conserve power wherever possible. Simple things like turning out lights, and not using the sleep function on your TV or computer. The ever increasing demand for Green technology has bought about advances in efficiency and cost savings, so that in theory, any home, anywhere in the world can now go Off Grid.
Is Living the Green Dream really possible?

Is Living the Green Dream really possible?

With all energy costs soaring almost daily,and the effects of climate change so prevalent,many people are wondering if there is any truth to the concept of "Living Green".With recent advances in renewable energy technology,it is far easier now than it has ever been to start living the "Green Dream". These advances have seen big improvements in quality and efficiency as well as cost reductions which have made many products affordable for the average householder.