You may be thinking about getting a dishwasher, a bigger fridge or a better washing machine. You may also be thinking of getting your first car, a bigger car, a second car.
21st Mar, 2012
Energy efficiency is a huge – but often overlooked – opportunity to save money and reduce pollution at home.
If you live in Victoria and you’re looking to reduce your environmental footprint, start with energy.
Nearly 70 percent of Victoria’s emissions come from the stationary energy sector – the electricity and gas we use in our homes, businesses and industry.
Over 80 percent of Victoria’s electricity is generated by burning brown coal, while Victorian households use far more gas than households in other states, mainly due to winter heating.[1]
According to Sustainability Victoria’s Household Energy Report (pdf), the average Victorian household spends around $2800 on home energy (electricity and gas) bills every year. Appliances, whitegoods, entertainment and lighting make up nearly half (46 percent) of that energy cost. Heating accounts for 32 percent alone. So you can see how what you plug into the powerpoint matters.
But as Environment Victoria showed in its Efficiency Leadership report, an efficient home can cut these costs by 40 percent, translating into annual savings of up to $1000 for the average Victorian household.
This shouldn’t be up to householders alone – government has a very important role to play in setting minimum efficiency standards and creating incentive schemes to help low-income Victorians upgrade to smarter homes and appliances that use less energy. We’re helping to bring this about through the One Million Homes campaign.
Read more articles and posts about energy efficiency below.
Sources:
[1] Department of State Development, Business and Innovation 2014, Victoria’s Energy Statement; Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre 2014, Our Gas Challenge.
You may be thinking about getting a dishwasher, a bigger fridge or a better washing machine. You may also be thinking of getting your first car, a bigger car, a second car.
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