The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : TVs, DVDs, computers on standby mode waste energy

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Saturday, Aug 16, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

TVs, DVDs, computers on standby mode waste energy

Special Correspondent

Bangalore alone accounts for ‘ghost consumption’ of Rs. 6 crore a month, say energy experts

BANGALORE: The habit of keeping televisions, computers and DVDs on standby mode, without switching off the power connection and the use of inefficient and inappropriate energy devices result in electricity wastage worth around Rs. 6 crore a month, in Bangalore alone.

According to an assessment by the Indian Association of Energy Management Professionals (IAEMP), such a waste of energy could be around Rs. 24 crore a month for the entire State. “This is only a conservative estimate. The actual impact could be much more,” said IAEMP President Sunil Sood.

He told The Hindu on Thursday that nearly 15 million units of power was being wasted every month by domestic consumers in Bangalore through such energy inefficient practices.

“Normally we use remotes to switch off the TVs, DVDs, DTHs and music systems without actually switching off the electrical connection. But these gadgets will continue to consume power until the electrical connection itself is switched off,” he said.

The TV, which is switched off by the remote, will consume 6 watts of power while the UPS of the computer in standby mode will consume 9 watts.

Also, the electric geyser on thermostat mode will cause a loss of 1 to 1.5 units a day, according to Mr. Sood.

Similarly, the cellphone chargers continue to consume some amount of power when we forget to switch them off even after their batteries are fully charged. The delay in switching off electrical mosquito repellent mats will also add to wasting of energy as they consume 5 watts.

The IAEMP, a voluntary organisation of energy experts striving to create public awareness on these aspects, has named such wastage of energy as “ghost consumption” to drive home a point that the consumption is taking place invisibly.

Average wastage

Mr. Sood said that though such pointers may seem small, all of them add up to a sizeable number of units of consumption. On an average, each house in Bangalore wastes 30 to 45 units of power due to ghost consumption.

Similarly, the usage of fans with higher wattage and inefficient regulators will also result in waste of power. It is better to use energy-efficient fans with only 50 watts with electronic regulators, he said.

There is scope for conserving energy in lighting sector also by replacing electric bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and also using the Light Emitting Diodes (LED) lights in toilets and passages.

Mr. Sood suggested that the consumers who think that their electricity bills are on the high side should go for energy auditing to find out which gadget is consuming excess energy.

Free assistance

The members of IAEMP are also offering free professional assistance to consumers to reduce their energy bills. For details, contact Mr. Sunil Sood on mobile: 9241778871 or 9901911910.

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