energy saving guide for consumers

Introduction
The typical (4-room) household in Singapore spends about $700 a year on electricity, and this figure has increased annually over the past few years. Electricity generation at the power plants results in the emission of greenhouse gases and other pollutants that have adverse effects on our environment. More>>

This guide offers information that you, as consumers, may find useful in reducing your energy bills and helping to preserve our environment.

Understanding Your Consumption Pattern
Besides electricity, your utility bill also includes charges for other services such as water, gas, and refuse removal and taxes (e.g. GST, Water Borne Fee and Water Conservation Tax). An explanation of individual component of your utility bill is available at: http://services.spservices.sg/cs_services_your-u-bill.htm.

Compare your monthly average electricity consumption (kWh) against the national average available at: http://services.spservices.sg/nav_enquiries.asp.

Your Electricity Bill
All appliances are rated in Watts (W) or kilowatts (kW): the higher the rating, the more electricity the appliance will consume per hour. Your electricity meter records the number of units of electricity you have used. These units are measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). One (1) unit on your meter is equivalent to 1 kWh or 1000 Wh.

You may wish to estimate your electricity bill using the Table on Electricity Consumption by Appliance below, or use the online "consumption calculator" available at: http://services.spservices.sg/cs_services_energy-audit.asp

Table on Electricity Consumption by Appliance (for reference only)

Reducing Your Electricity Consumption
Each electrical appliance that you buy has 2 prices: the purchase price and the operating cost during its lifetime. For example, the typical operating costs of an air-conditioner (single split, non-inverter, 9000 Btu/hr capacity, operated for 7 hrs a day) could be about $400 per year and the typical operating cost of a refrigerator (500-litre) could be about $150 per year.

Your electricity bill is the total operating costs of all electrical appliances in your home.

Making Better-Informed Purchasing Decisions
Without a fair basis of comparison, consumers face a challenging task of comparing the energy efficiencies of various appliance models. Hence, the Energy Labelling Scheme was introduced to provide factual information on energy consumption by participating appliance models, thus facilitating consumers to make better-informed purchasing decisions. The number of Green Ticks on the Energy Label also provides an easy way for consumers to identify energy efficient appliance models.

Energy Saving Tips
Besides considering buying or replacing your household electrical appliances with more energy efficient models, you can also consider these Energy Saving Tips.